Identity
by Half-Demon-Cali
Summary: Lucy, Levy, and Gajeel take up a mission that involves locating the lost son of a city couple. It was a simple enough job at the start. But as they delve deeper into the investigation, Lucy starts to question what their true reality is - Especially since the evidence keeps pointing to a certain rose-haired firebreather...
1. Altivian City Request

This story takes places nearly right after Wendy and Charle join the group - Before Edolas and all that glory.

Pairings are Natsu/Lucy and Gajeel/Levy, but there's not going to be much in the way of romance.

Sorry, but there's going to be a disctinct lack of Natsu in the first two chapters. The only FT members you'll see are Lucy, Mirajane, Levy, and Gajeel.

* * *

_**Chapter 1 - Altivian City Request**_

* * *

"_This sucks_!"

Lucy plopped down on her usual stool at the bar, looking completely despondent. Her suitcase was lazily thrown down next to her, and had made a rather loud crashing noise when it hit the floor due to the force. Mirajane smiled at the blonde despite the bad mood she was obviously in.

"Something wrong, Lucy?" she asked gently.

"_Ugh_!" Lucy's forehead met the bar counter. "I missed my train, damn it! I was supposed to be on a mission with the rest of my team by now!"

"They didn't wait for you?"

"Apparently, Gray and Natsu got into a fight, caused property damage to a bunch of stores, and got on the train as soon as they saw the owners coming. Hell, I guess even Natsu has a limit to how much he'll pay for his own destruction, considering he'd have rather taken transportation than meet with the proprietors and discuss how the windows and walls were going to be fixed." Lucy sighed heavily. "They got on the first train they could find – Which wasn't the _right_ train, mind you. They were supposed to wait for me and get on the 12:30 one! But _nooo_, they just _had_ to break stuff and get on an earlier one just to skip out on paying! Waaaaah, I _knew_ I shouldn't have left the job information with them! I can't even remember which town we were supposed to be going to!"

Mirajane continued smiling at her friend throughout her rant, though whether it was from sympathy or amusement was pretty ambiguous. "I guess that's what happens when Erza is out on an S-Class mission…" she pondered aloud. Lucy appeared not to have heard her.

"I'm dead…" she muttered. "Or worse, _evicted_. My rent is due and that mission was supposed to pay for it."

"Why not go on a solo mission?" Mirajane offered. "I'm sure there's something up there for you that'll help."

"Already checked. Nothing pays enough; and the ones that do are _way_ out of my league."

"How about tagging along with me and Gajeel, then?" Lucy perked up at the sound of her best friend's voice. Levy came up and sat down beside her. The bluenette flashed her a grin. "If you need rent money that bad, we'll be more than happy to help! Right, Gajeel?"

A gruff snort came from behind them. Lucy wasn't sure, but it didn't sound like the Iron Dragonslayer was too into the idea.

"Do we have to bring Bunny Girl along? Two is more than enough for this stupid mission," Gajeel growled. Lucy rolled her eyes. She was right. Levy pouted.

"She's my best friend, Gajeel, and she needs help! Deal with it!" the tiny girl huffed. "At any rate, it doesn't matter. If you don't want her company, then I don't want yours. Either she comes with us, or you stay behind. Your choice."

Lucy had to stifle a laugh at how easily Gajeel changed his mind. His face couldn't have gotten any more surprised than it was right then. He stuttered around his words, trying to form a sentence. Finally, he just snorted and folded his arms. "Do what you want. I don't care." Levy stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ignore him, Lu-chan," she said with a wink. "He's just jealous that I prefer your company."

"I am not!" the iron-eater protested. Levy giggled. Lucy did too. Teasing Gajeel was fun.

"So, Levy-chan," Lucy began, turning back to her friend and away from the flustered dragon. "What's the mission you guys are going on?" Levy pulled a sheet of paper out of nowhere, and placed it on the bar. Lucy picked it up and began reading.

_RETRIEVAL MISSION_

_NEED HELP TO LOCATE MISSING PERSONS_

_TIME LIMIT: UNTIL WHENEVER WE TIRE OF YOUR ATTEMPTS OR YOU SURPRISE US AND PULL THROUGH_

_REQUIRED IQ: 140 AND ABOVE_

_Reward: 600,000 J_

Lucy eyed the request strangely. "Whoever wrote this sure has a… _unique_ way of asking for help… And setting an IQ level for a mission? What kind of person _does_ that?" Levy shrugged.

"It's probably because it's a find-and-rescue mission of sorts," she theorized. "You'd have to look through databases, newspaper articles… Instincts come into play… You'd need to be a pretty good tracker, too. Basically, your investigative skills have to be outstanding. I guess the person who sent the request out thinks that the smarter a person is, the better they'll be at finding someone."

"Then why is Gajeel coming along?" Lucy sniggered.

"Hey! Back off, Bunny Girl!" Gajeel snapped angrily. "In case you've forgotten, I've got a dragon's nose like that idiot Pinky. Tracking is something I'm good at."

"Plus, Gajeel's better company than people give him credit for," Levy added with a smile.

"Oh, _is_ he now…?"

"Shut _**up**_."

"We were originally going to split the reward into half, but thirds will be just fine!" Levy explained, ignoring Gajeel. "What do you say, Lu-chan? Wanna come? I'm sure between us two girls, we'll be able to pull this off! Who else is as book-smart as us?"

"True…" A smile slowly made its way across Lucy's lips. "Alright, Levy-chan. I'll come along with you guys."

"Really? Thanks, Lu-chan!"

"What are you thanking me for? I'm the one who needed help!"

"Just don't weigh us down."

"Be nice, Gajeel!"

"Yeah, listen to your girlfriend, Gajeel!"

"Lu-chan!"

"Stupid bunny…"

Mirajane chuckled. She had no doubt that these three would get along swimmingly during this mission.

* * *

Lucy quickly found that her life was a lot easier when she wasn't looking after a completely motion sick Dragonslayer. Gajeel had a bout of it too, but he was holding up much better than Natsu usually did; at least, he was quieter than the rosette was. Gajeel probably didn't want to look like a weakling in front of them. If it weren't for the amount of sweat coming from his pores, Lucy never would've guessed that the iron-eater was motion sick at all.

"Alright, it looks like we're getting off at Altivian City…" Levy said. "It's right after the stop in Castello Town."

"We're actually going to see a _city_?" Lucy echoed, brown eyes widening.

"Yeah? So what?" Gajeel asked while simultaneously resisting the urge to puke. "Never been to a city before?"

"No, not really…" Lucy shook her head. She leaned on the seat's armrest and casually gazed out of the train car's window. "I mean, I've seen busy towns and everything, but I can't imagine what kind of crowds a city might have…"

"Well, Altivian City isn't much bigger than Hargeon, to tell you the truth, Lu-chan," Levy explained. "And the population is the same. Only a couple thousand people more."

"Really? Aww. I was looking forward to a big city adventure."

"We're not here so you can lazy around and go on a shopping binge, Bunny," Gajeel barked. It was hard to be threatening when you were glued to one spot. "This is _work_."

"I know, I know!" Lucy snapped. "Keep your trousers on. I'm not even _thinking_ about shopping right now. I'm in the red Jewel-wise as it is."

"But we can at least window shop, right?" Levy pouted. "I especially want to see what kinds of bookstores they have!"

"Oooh, you're right, Levy-chan! Great idea!" Gajeel groaned, from both the conversation and the train ride.

"Women… They're all the same…"

* * *

Once the trio was off the train and in Altivian City, Gajeel was calmer and less grumpy – Which wasn't saying much considering his base personality, but it was definitely an improvement.

"So, where do we go from here?" he demanded. Currently, they were walking around the area aimlessly, and with no clue where to go. Gajeel wasn't a fan of meandering around inanely, especially when they didn't know a thing about where they were.

"Umm…" Levy looked at the sheet of paper again. "We have to find the home of a Mister and Missus Isdona. It says here that they live on the outer edges of the city."

"It kinda feels like we're in the middle of the city at the moment…" Lucy pointed out, sweating a little.

"Great. We're here for a few minutes and we're already lost."

"No, we're not!" Levy insisted. "Let's just ask somebody to give us directions!" Not wanting to admit she was wrong, the small bluenette began turning her head in a multitude of directions, looking for a trustworthy person to ask. She stopped when she came across a person in a very official-looking purple outfit. "Aha!" she cried, taking off in the person's direction.

"Levy-chan, wait up!" Lucy cried, running after her best friend. Gajeel tch'd, following at a much slower pace.

"Pardon me, sir!" Levy exclaimed. "Are you by any chance familiar with this area?"

"Of course I am, little girl," the man replied. "It's my job to know the place, as a guard."

"Oh! A guard! Great!" Levy smiled, completely ignoring the 'little girl' comment. "Do you think you could tell me where the Isdona household is? We know it's not in the center of the city, but…" The guard blanched.

"You're looking for _that_ couple?" he asked slowly. "_Why_?"

"Is something wrong?" Lucy asked. "We just wanted to meet with them because of the job listing in our guild. It says they need help finding a person."

"We're from the guild Fairy Tail," Levy said. The guard sighed.

"Those two are one weird couple, I'll tell ya…" he muttered. "But if you're really looking for them, then you don't have to go far. They're not at home at the moment."

"How the hell would you know that?" Gajeel questioned him. The purple-clad guard pointed down the street.

"Their shops are over here," he explained. "They run them during the day. _They're_ the reason why I'm posted here."

"Why _are_ you posted here?" Lucy frowned. "It seems like a quiet enough street, even for a city…"

"I'm here to make sure no innocent bystanders get hurt."

"That still doesn't answer my-"

A loud crash interrupted the conversation.

The Fairy Tail trio, along with the guard and many other pedestrians, turned to the source of the noise. A red-haired man and white-haired woman were standing directly outside of two opposite stores – One a restaurant, the other a bookstore. Beside the man, there was a pool of water and broken glass, presumably from a pitcher than had broken.

"_What_ did you say, Ervana!?" the man yelled. "Say that again! I _dare_ ya!" The woman spat on the ground.

"I said, _dear_, that your customers obviously aren't very educated if they keep wanting to eat at your place! Either that, or they don't have any taste buds left! I've had your food! They'd be better off eating _paper_!"

"Well if that's what ya think, then why don't ya give 'em one of your books!? They can eat that instead! It's not like there's anything worth reading in that store, anyway, ya fruity bulb!"

"Fruity!? You're the one whose head looks like a strawberry, you old man!"

"Old!? Younger than you, at least, ya white-haired granny!"

And then, objects started flying through the air.

Many people were ducking for cover if they were around either of the buildings. The ones out of range of the attacks were watching them, placing bets, or ignoring them all together.

Lucy, Levy, and Gajeel were all staring at the scene with open mouths. The guard sighed.

"Looks like they're at it again…" he murmured.

"Wha- Wha- Wha-!?" Levy stuttered with wide eyes. She and Lucy were literally shaking from fear and surprise.

"The hell is up with those two?" Gajeel asked incredulously, raising one brow in curiosity. The guard shrugged.

"Cobalt and Ervana are always like this," he began. "They fight like they're hated rivals, even though they're married. Ervana runs a bookstore and Cobalt runs a restaurant. They both think they're better than each other. They tend to argue over who's more popular, who has a better income…"

"And they still get _customers_?" Lucy gawked.

"Everyone in the city knows that these aren't their real personalities. The Isdonas are actually very nice people. They're just very centered on their businesses."

"You mean…"

"_Those_ are the people who we have to meet with?"

"Great. Because we can't just get _normal_ clients."

"If you need to meet with them soon, I'd go talk to them now," the guard suggested. "They're not going to stop if no one interrupts."

"But isn't that _your_ job?" Lucy asked skeptically. "To break them up?"

"Nope. My job is to make sure other people don't get hurt. I'm not going anywhere _near_ that mess if no one's in danger. I wish you three luck." With a soldier-esque salute, the guard took off in the opposite direction. Levy and Lucy felt horrified.

"Wh-Wh-What do we do, Lu-chan…?" Levy whimpered.

"I don't know, Levy-chan… I don't want to get on their bad sides by interrupting or anything…"

"How are we supposed to talk to them if they won't stop throwing inanimate objects at each other!?"

"_Oi_! _You two_!" Gajeel yelled. When Levy and Lucy looked away from each other, they saw the Iron Dragonslayer approaching the fighting couple. The girls gaped.

"He's going up to them that easily!?" they chimed. The man and woman, known now as Cobalt and Ervana, paused mid-throw. Their expressions instantly changed.

"Oh, are you a customer?" Ervana asked gleefully. "Wonderful!" She dashed up to Gajeel and grabbed his arm. "Come in, come in! I have a wonderful selection of novels to look at!" Gajeel grimaced.

"No, lady," he replied gruffly. "That's not what I-"

"Are ya crazy, woman!?" Cobalt walked up to them and began wagging his index finger at his wife. "Does he look like the reading type to you!? He's obviously looking for some good eats!"

"Hey, now-"

"Then he'd better not go to _your_ place!" Ervana snapped back. Sparks flew between husband and wife. Gajeel growled in frustration.

"Umm-! Excuse me!" Lucy perked up as she and Levy approached the scene. Cobalt and Ervana's attentions were immediately diverted again.

"Ah, what a pair of nice-lookin' young ladies!" Cobalt cried happily. He smiled widely at them. "What can I do ya for, girls? Need some sustenance?"

"You dolt!" Ervana barked. "These are obviously educated young women looking for a good book to read!"

"Actually, miss-"

"Oh? How can you be sure?"

"I just am! You can tell by the way they carry themselves that they're not like most of the people who go into that sorry excuse for a restaurant!"

"What was that!?"

"_**Oi**_!" Gajeel yelled. The couple stopped their bickering again, and looked to the muscled teen in oddity. "We're not looking for books or food! We're here responding to your request!"

"Request?" Cobalt echoed.

"Y-Yes," Levy continued. "You filed for a missing persons retrieval? The job was posted in our guild." The couple's faces softened instantly. Ervana released her grip on Gajeel.

"I see…" she mused. "And you three are mages?"

"Yes," Lucy answered, holding up her hand. "We're from Fairy Tail."

"That notorious guild…" Cobalt mulled over. He folded his arms. "I thought we put down we wanted _smart_ people working this job."

"_What_!?" the mage trio cried in outrage. Cobalt laughed heartily.

"Bahahaha! Got'cha!" he chortled in clear amusement. "I was joking with ya, no worries. Geez, you people sure are uptight. Aren't you guys supposed to be fun-loving? Have a sense of humor!"

"Asshole…" Gajeel muttered. Levy jabbed him in the gut with her elbow.

"Do you think we could go somewhere and talk about what it is you want us to do exactly?" Lucy asked.

"Of course, of course!" Cobalt went around the three and put his arms over their shoulders. "Step right this way! We'll discuss it in my restaurant!"

"Nonsense!" Ervana huffed. "In a busy place like that? There's no privacy or quiet! We'll go to my bookstore!"

"Ha! So you _admit_ that my place is busy!"

"Uh, actually, could we discuss the details in your home?" Lucy offered. "That's most private, don't you think?"

"Oh, you're right, dear," Ervana said. "That's a good idea."

"You'll have to wait a few hours, though," Cobalt added. "We can't just leave our stores like this in the middle of the day."

"That's okay, we'll wait." Levy smiled at the pair. "I'm sure we can find something to do in the meantime."

"You must come see my bookstore, then!" Ervana exclaimed, gray eyes shining. "I have a large and diverse selection to choose from at Ervana's Nirvana!"

"Ya damn airhead!" Cobalt yelled. "Eating is the best way to pass the time! Why don't you three come by The Iron Skillet for a bite?"

"Stop trying to woo them with the promise of good food! Whatever you serve in that place obviously isn't fit for mice, nevermind humans!"

"At least my customers have a sense of humor! They laugh when I tell them about _your_ cooking!"

"_What_ was that!?"

Lucy, Levy, and Gajeel sweated. Between the three of them, there was only one thing going through their minds.

_We'd better be getting extra Jewels for having to put up with this…_

* * *

Cobalt and Ervana are hella' fun to write.

Reviews are appreciated.


	2. Irien

For the record, I'm only going to post chapters when I have the next written out. (I.e., I posted this one because I finished chapter three.)

Also, in case you haven't noticed by now, Gajeel is my chew toy.

* * *

**_Chapter 2 - Irien_**

* * *

The sun had just set when Cobalt and Ervana closed up their shops. After offering apologies to the Fairy Tail crew, the group began down the road to the Isdona household. The couple did indeed live at the very edge of the city. Their residence was a fairy large home on a hill that overlooked a majority of Altivian.

While they made their way to their destination, Lucy began to realize what that guard had meant. Cobalt and Ervana were completely off the deep end when it came to business rivalry, but once they left the stores behind, they were calm, collected, and sane. It was such a huge difference, she thought they might've been switched with better behaved duplicates or something.

Both of the pair were in their forties, with Ervana surprisingly being the elder of the two by three years. Despite her white hair and gray eyes making her seem much older, her pale skin was nearly wrinkle-free and flawless, with only some cuts and bruises here and there. She explained that heaving box after box of novels, dictionaries, and the like, some black and blues were bound to happen. One particularly nasty one was on her forehead because a large nonfiction book had dropped on her when she was rearranging the shelves. Levy said she liked the way the woman's hair stood up without gel.

Cobalt, despite his cooled name, had slanted brown eyes and distinct red hair that reminded Lucy a lot of Erza. He was very tan and also had blemishes and burns covering him. They mostly accumulated around his hands and fingers, which were callused and rough. He said that that's the price he paid for being a chef.

Soon, the five found themselves standing in front of the target household.

"Well, here we are!" Cobalt exclaimed, unlocking their front door and stepping inside. "Home sweet home!"

Once everyone was inside and the lights were turned on, the inside appearance became visible. The foyer, from what Lucy could see, led to a dining room and a kitchen on the right, and to a living room on the left. It was quaint, not unlike the houses she'd seen in the books she's read.

"Everyone, you can head for the living room," Ervana said, heading off to the right. "I'm going to make us some tea."

"Oh, bring those biscuits you made too, honey!" Cobalt called. "I'm starving!" When he turned back to the Fairy Tail mages, they were all looking at him oddly. He cocked his head to one side. "What?"

"Before, when we met, you said that your wife's cooking was pretty bad…" Levy explained. Cobalt snorted.

"Oh, don't mind what we say to each other when we're in a heated moment like that. It's just banter, nothing else. Doesn't mean anything."

"You guys sure make an… interesting couple," Lucy commented.

"Why thank ya, dear!" Cobalt grinned. When they made it over to the center of the room, he motioned to one of the couches. "Sit your rears down, kids. There's a lot to discuss and I don't think you'll wanna stand for it." Lucy and Levy took him up on the offer. Gajeel stayed standing. Cobalt raised a brow at him.

"I'm fine the way I am," Gajeel grunted. "I'm not gonna get tired just from standing here."

"Whatever floats yer boat, Needles." Gajeel made a face at the nickname.

"_Needles_?"

"Ya got a lotta' piercings there, Needles," Cobalt observed bluntly. "You trying to dress up as a living pincushion?"

"Now _listen here_, old man-!"

"Gajeel, stop it!" Levy protested. "We didn't come all this way just so you could make our clients mad at us!"

"Your girlfriend's right, Needles. So back off." Levy blushed.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" she cried.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Gajeel snapped. Lucy rolled her brown eyes.

"Come on now," Ervana's voice came. The pale woman made her way into the living room, carrying a tray on each hand – One with cups on it, and the other with a plate of cookies. She placed them on the table in between them and sat down next to her husband. "Stop teasing the kids, dear. I'm sure they want to get to work."

"Alright…" Cobalt scratched his head. "I still can't wrap my head around the fact that you kids are all so young. Barely adults and already powerful mages?"

"We're almost adults, sir," Lucy said. "Levy-chan and I are turning eighteen soon."

"Speak for yourselves," Gajeel snorted. "I _am_ an adult."

"Still… You guys are still very young," Cobalt continued. "You sure we can trust ya with this job?"

"With all due respect, sir," Lucy began. "Age is but a number. We're all experienced wizards and can handle ourselves quite well. Not to mention, Levy-chan and I are two of the smartest in our guild."

"And what about Needles?"

"He's mostly here to entertain." Gajeel glared at Lucy hotly. Lucy ignored him. Cobalt laughed.

"Well, I can see you kids are alright. No need to worry about my teasing, I know looks can be deceiving."

"We were once mages too," Ervana clarified. "So we know how age doesn't reflect one's ability."

"You guys used magic at some point?" Levy's eyes widened.

"Yup." Cobalt pointed to himself. "I was pretty handy in the way of transformations. And my wife here," He then pointed to Ervana. "Was a decent Solid Script mage back in the days."

"No way!" Levy gasped. "You're a Solid Script mage _too_!? That's the magic I use!"

"Really!?" Ervana's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Oh, then you must be a bookworm as well!" She jabbed Cobalt in his side. "See? I _told_ you she was an educated young lady!"

"Yeah, yeah, alright, dear. Ya got me." Ervana smiled at his defeat, and then turned back to Levy.

"Now you have to stop by my bookstore some time! I promise I'll give you a nice discount as a fellow Solid Script mage!" Levy was glowing at the opportunity.

"Are you serious!? Thank you, ma'am! We'll _certainly_ stop by there!" Cobalt cleared his throat loudly. Levy laughed nervously. "O-Of course, we'll also get our meals at _your_ place, Cobalt-san…" The man grinned at this. Lucy tapped her fingers on her knees.

"Umm… This is all fine and dandy… Buuuut… You _know_…"

"What Bunny Girl is _trying_ to say is, we came here looking for a paying job," Gajeel snapped. "So quit the small talk and _get on_ with it. Who's the person you want us to look for?" The couple lost their smiles almost immediately. Ervana gazed downwards, her albino bangs covering half of her face. Cobalt sighed.

"Our son," he said. "We want you to track down our son."

That caused Lucy and Levy's eyes to widen. Gajeel stayed stoic.

"Your… Your son?" Levy repeated.

"What happened to him?" Lucy inquired carefully. She knew it was going to be painful to hear their story, but they were on a job. It had to be done.

"A long time ago, when we were still young and lived in the city of Darnacor… We had a little boy," Ervana started. "His name was Irien. He was so bright, cheerful… There was hardly ever a frown on his face. He loved everything and everyone around him."

"Wait a minute… You said you lived in _Darnacor_?" Levy bit her lip nervously. "_That_ Darnacor?"

"Levy-chan?" Lucy gazed at her friend worriedly. The bluenette's expression was troubling. "What's wrong?" Levy took in a breath.

"Darnacor was a trade center years back. It was a very prosperous area, and the businesses there flourished due to tourism and investments. But then a dark guild known as Discord Palette ravaged the place for all it was worth. They robbed buildings, destroyed half of the town, not to mention they killed many innocent people… A lot of the inhabitants were forced to flee their home and regroup elsewhere." Ervana nodded solemnly.

"That's exactly what happened," she all but whispered. "On that day, when Discord Palette attacked… That's when… That's when we…" Her chest heaved, making it obvious to the Fairy Tail group that she was trying very hard not to cry. Cobalt finished the sentence for her.

"That was the day we got separated from Irien." He narrowed his dark eyes. "When the evacuation occurred, we were shoved along in the crowd by the town's officers. It was either get out of there, or stay and die. Neither option was very appetizing, but we had no choice."

Lucy was already deeply troubled by the story. The way it was going, she didn't know if she wanted to hear the ending or not.

"As soon as we got on the train to leave, one of the members of Discord took Irien from us. They said something about a young wizard being ripe for the picking." Cobalt gripped his wife's hand in his own. "We were barely allowed to look back. We wanted to go back and rescue our son; but once we were on the train, we weren't allowed to get off. We had no way to defend ourselves against Discord, and the officers knew that. They said one more life wasn't going to make a difference in the overall death toll… That we should look after ourselves."

"Hold up," Gajeel interrupted rudely. "Excuse me for being _skeptical_, but what the hell do you mean by 'no way to defend yourselves'? You were _mages_, weren't you? Why wouldn't you use your magic to save your son and beat the crap out of that dark guild?"

"Because Discord Palette stole their magic," Levy enlightened her fellow teammate. The dark expression on the bluenette's face was scaring Lucy slightly. "Their wizards dabbled in the area of dark magic, and their specialty included stealing the magic and abilities of others."

"Correct," Cobalt said through gritted teeth. "Those bastards drained us dry of all our magic. Ervana and I are two of the few wizards who made it out alive after being stripped like that."

"Our son… Irien, he was… He was only four!" Ervana whimpered weakly. "We could hear his cries as the Discord Palette wizard made off with him… I wanted to hug him and protect him, but I…" The white woman leaned on her husband's shoulder. "I just want to see Irien again…"

"To be perfectly honest with you guys… I have very little hope that Irien isn't dead." Cobalt sighed. "Discord Palette may have taken him because he was a blossoming wizard, but our son had very weak magical powers. For all we know, they could've killed him off as soon as we left because they thought he wasn't good enough."

"Stop _saying_ that!" Ervana cried desperately. "I _hate_ it when you say that!"

"Sorry, hun, but I need to be blunt here. These kids might not want the job if there's doubt that Irien is even alive, so warning them is the best-"

"We'll do it."

Everyone in the room turned to stare at Lucy in surprise. Her eyes were straight forward and fierce, her lips pressed tightly in determination. "Whatever it takes, we'll find your son. We'll find Irien and bring him back to you." Levy nodded along with her.

"It will be a challenge, of course…" she said. "But we'll find a way to bring your family back together." Ervana finally let the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Good god, _thank_ you!" she sobbed. "Thank you all so much!" Cobalt gave the trio a soft smile.

"If you Fairy Tail'ers can pull this off… We'll forever be in your debt."

"Yeah, yeah…" Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Enough with this mushy bonding crap. You got anything of the kid's that I can sniff?" Cobalt and Ervana stared at the iron-eater in surprise.

"You want to… _sniff_ something of Irien's?" Ervana asked cautiously, not sure if she heard right. "Why on _earth_ would you…?"

"I'm a Dragonslayer," Gajeel responded. "I have a keen nose. I'll make a good tracker. Of course, we'll need more than just his scent, and I'm sure that the kid probably smells a lot different now that he's an adult – If he's alive, that is – But it's a good start. People's scents usually don't change completely as they get older. Similarities will remain, and I'm good enough to pick up on those."

"You can trust Gajeel when he says that," Lucy added. "He's like our own personal doggy!"

"_Watch it_, Bunny…" the dragon snarled. Cobalt scratched his chin in thought.

"Anything of Irien's, huh… I know he had a blanket and some toys, not that I can recall exactly where those are… There's a bunch of boxes in the attic to look through, but that could take who knows how long."

"Hang on one moment," Ervana said, getting to her feet. "I think I might know of something." The pale woman exited the room hurriedly, nearly tripping over her long skirt in the process. Every pair of eyes followed her form.

"Where's she going?" Lucy asked.

"Beats me," Gajeel answered derisively.

Two minutes later, Ervana made her way back to the living room. In her hands, there was a stuffed cat with a checkerboard pattern and half of its tail missing. She eagerly handed it to Gajeel, who looked just as confused as his fellow guild members.

"That was Irien's favorite toy," Ervana explained, sitting next to her husband again. "He went just about everywhere with it."

"Oh yeah, I remember that thing…" Cobalt perked up. "I remember he cut off half of the poor cat's tail because he wanted to see what made it so big. All the stuffing came out of the tail that day. Irien was upset for days because he hurt his friend."

"What a deadly case of curiosity…" Lucy murmured. "Good thing it was just a stuffed toy." Levy grinned, despite the morbid statement. The Solid Script mage looked back to their clients.

"Is there any kind of information you can give us on Irien? Like photos, a birth certificate…"

"Why would we need his birth certificate?" Gajeel checked.

"Because then we can check to see if he's been employed anywhere," Lucy said. "It's a stretch, considering that tactic might not work if Irien doesn't have a normal job, but we can try. Plus, a birth certificate will have fingerprints. Those can be _very_ useful." Cobalt and Ervana looked at each other.

"I don't know if we still have his birth certificate…" Ervana admitted. "But we certainly have photos. Shall I get them?"

"Duh," Gajeel muttered. "We need to at least know what this kid looked like back then, even if he was only four."

"A-Alright…" Once again, Ervana was up and out of the room. When she was out of sight, Gajeel lifted the stuffed cat to his nose and took a deep whiff. Levy and Lucy glanced at him oddly.

"And you're only doing that now because…?" Lucy raised her brows.

"That woman would probably think I was a freak if she actually saw me doing this," Gajeel replied. "I don't need or want to be branded as a weirdo."

"Too late for that, Needles," Cobalt commented off-handedly. Gajeel pointedly ignored the redhead, and went back to sniffing the cat toy. Lucy and Levy were still giving him funny looks.

"You need to get the scent that many times?" Levy inquired skeptically. Gajeel pulled away from the stuffed animal and glared at her.

"Hey, give me a break. This toy is decades old, right?"

"Well, yeah… The raid by Discord Palette happened fourteen years ago. The cat's probably a little older."

"Exactly. The kid's scent is barely there. The only reason I'm getting anything off of this thing is probably because he carried it around with him all the time. If you want me to be of any help, I need to get as much of it as I can so I can remember what his overall scent is." Gajeel eyed the cat with meditative crimson eyes. "Not only that… But to a point… this thing actually smells familiar." That caught and held everyone's attention quickly.

"Familiar?" Lucy repeated. "What do you mean by familiar?"

"The hell do you _think_ I mean, Bunny Girl?" Gajeel snorted. "I _mean_, while the kid's scent is faint, there's some part of it that makes me think I already know it from somewhere."

"You've met Irien before?" Cobalt's eyes were wide with hope. "He's someone you know?"

"Calm down," Gajeel grunted. "I said it smells _familiar_. That's it. A lot of kids tend to smell the same to me – And this toy is over a decade old. Don't get excited over nothing." Cobalt's happiness visibly deflated. Levy frowned at her teammate.

"You could've been more delicate with your wording, Gajeel…"

"Yeah, I suppose I _could've_," the Dragonslayer mocked.

"So, if the incident with Discord Palette happened fourteen years ago, that means Irien would be eighteen, right?" Lucy questioned Cobalt, paying no heed to her bickering guild members. "Or at least close to that."

"Yup, sure seems like that," Cobalt answered with a nod. "He'd be around your age, if a little older." He heaved another sigh. "If he is alive, I'll have missed nearly his entire life… All those years of growing up… I never even got to see my boy become a man."

"You truly loved Irien, didn't you, sir?"

"'Course I did. What parent wouldn't love his own child?" Lucy averted his gaze, biting the inside of her lip. _I can think of one…_ she noted frostily.

Well, maybe she wasn't being fair. Her father did seem to want to patch things up with her, the last time they met… But it was hard to forget all the years of isolation and verbal abuse she had put up with from that man.

"I have them!"

Ervana came running into the room with a large photo album in her arms. She nearly tripped again when she got to the couch, but was able to regain her balance quickly. She handed the album over to the Fairy Tail wizards eagerly. "Here you go. This album contains all the pictures we have of Irien. Feel free to skim through it."

The mages did just that. Lucy parted the album covers and opened up to a central page. Immediately, she and Levy began cooing over what they saw.

"Oh my God!" Levy squealed. "He's _adorable_!"

"Look at those little cheeks!" Lucy laughed. "They're so chubby and _cute_!"

"Aww, there he is with his kitty! How sweet!"

"And here is he sleeping! _Awww_!"

"Oh, brother…" Gajeel moaned. Trying to ignore any more fussing from the girls, the iron-eater let his gaze wander across the photos silently. He raised a brow. "Hey, don't you guys have any _color_ photos of him? These are all black and white."

"Oh, right." Cobalt leaned over and began flipping the pages for them. "We didn't manage to get colored shots until later on. Those are mainly in the back of the album." He stopped turning once they were almost to the end. Lucy and Levy eyed the colored photos in surprise.

"Your son, he…"

"He has _pink_ hair?"

"Hey, just like the idiot back home," Gajeel smirked. Ervana chuckled.

"Yes, he has pink hair. We know, it's not very manly… But we expected him to come out with a solid red or white, not a _mix_ of our hair colors."

"Because red and white make pink, Gajeel," Lucy explained.

"I _know_ that. Do you think I'm stupid or something?"

"Let my lack of a proper response answer that." Gajeel seethed quietly at the blonde's indignation. Lucy just smiled at him. Levy was busy still looking at the pictures.

"Mmm… … …" she hummed. She brought her gaze to their clients. "Do you think we could take a few of these color photos with us back to the guild? We'll give them back, I promise."

"Uhh… sure," Cobalt replied hesitantly, glancing over at his wife for affirmation. Ervana nodded.

"Just don't take too many, please," she requested. "And try not to damage them. Those are very sentimental to us, and we want to keep them in perfect condition for as long as we can." Levy smiled.

"Of course, ma'am." Lucy blinked.

"You have an idea, Levy-chan?" Levy nodded.

"It's true that we know what Irien looked like when he was four…" she began. "But like Cobalt-san said, he'd be around our age now if he were still alive. We don't know what his physical appearance would be like."

"What's your point?" Gajeel asked.

"My point is, we can ask _Reedus_ to make a guess." Levy looked back down at the pictures in the album. "Reedus is one of the best artists I know of, and his imagination is vast. I bet if we gave him some of these pictures, he could draw up a best estimate of what Irien would look like today!"

"That… That just might work," Lucy breathed. A wide grin spread across her face, matching Levy's nearly perfectly. "You're brilliant, Levy-chan!"

"I know, Lu-chan. Thanks!"

"In that case, can we get going now?" Gajeel huffed. "We should get this over with as soon as possible."

"You're planning on heading back to your guild _now_?" Cobalt asked, surprised at the dragon's words. "How do you expect to do that? The trains don't run at night, here."

"… _What_?"

"It's true," Ervana continued. "They shut them down after sunset every night so they can work on repairs. That's how the system works in Altivian. It's what keeps our railroads in top condition."

"Uhh…" Lucy's smile faded. "Did you guys bring enough money for a hotel? 'Cause I sure didn't. I don't even have that much to spare to begin with."

"Err…" Levy sweated. "I'm not sure…"

"You can all stay here, if you'd like," Ervana offered with a wink. "We have two spare rooms that aren't being used for anything."

"Are you serious?" Lucy gasped. The woman nodded.

"Lucy-san, you and Levy-san can sleep together in one room. Gajeel-san can use the other." Levy dipped her head in gratitude.

"Thank you very much, ma'am!" she cried. "I hope we won't be imposing on you!"

"Nonsense!" Cobalt chortled. "As long as we approve of 'em, guests are always welcome here! Now…" He rubbed his calloused hands together eagerly. "Anyone up for dinner? I could go for somethin' right now."

"How about I make us one of your recipes, dear?" Ervana suggested. "You can give them a tour of the house in the meantime."

"Sounds good to me, hun!"

"I thought Cobalt-san was the chef between you two, though…" Lucy wondered outside her head. Cobalt's brows furrowed in shock.

"You think I wanna come home and cook after I've been doin' it all day? You're crazy!"

"Right, of course. What was I thinking? Now, about payment…" Lucy bit her lip. "Cobalt-san, is there _any_ way I can have my share of the Jewels in advance?"

"Huh? Why would you want that?"

"Well… You see…"

"Her rent's due soon and her usual teammates are idiots," Levy put it bluntly. Lucy sweated.

"M-More or less…" Cobalt scratched his chin.

"Hnn… That's quite the request…" The redhead snapped his fingers. "How 'bout this? I'll rescind the reward I wrote in the job description and pay ya guys by the day. Sound good?"

"How much per day?"

"Ten thousand Jewels."

"Hnn…" Lucy folded her arms. "I'll be cutting it close, but… I think that can work. Thank you, Cobalt-san!"

"Not a problem. Now, how 'bout that tour Ervana promised ya?"

* * *

Why is it that I always read Cobalt's dialogue in some sort of Southern hick accent? That's not supposed to be...

Soooo due to brainstorming last night, this is going to have more romance in it than I originally thought... It's still not much, but yeah. I'll try to cater to you guys. If you want more action, romance, comedy, less dialogue, more description, etc., let me know.

Debating whether or not I'm going to draw Cobalt, Ervana, and their son. I'll let ya guys know if I do.


	3. A Perfect Blend

On one note, I should really start watching Fairy Tail on my own time. My brother is... '_slow_'... And can't read subtitles fast enough, so I've been seeing the English dub for ninety percent of my watch time. Japanese dub, I need you...

Ahem. But enough with my complaining. Now, to return to Fairy Tail!

* * *

**_Chapter 3 - A Perfect Blend_**

* * *

"I'm honestly surprised at how much information the Isdonas gave us," Lucy commented. A thin stack of papers rested on top of a nearby coffee table. "I mean, they included Irien's birthday – That's to be expected – But they also listed his allergies, his blood type, his favorite room in their old house, his most ticklish areas… Oh, and they even put down where he's got a birthmark!"

"To be fair, we _did_ ask them to give us a thorough list of what they thought would be useful, Lu-chan," Levy replied. The corners of her mouth twitched upward. "I think it's a good thing that they had this all at hand."

"I think it's kind of weird."

"I don't. It's natural for grieving parents to be a little overboard. They probably had this stuff sorted out for the other people they've called on to help."

"That's correct, dear."

Lucy and Levy nearly jumped out of their seats when Ervana's voice snuck up behind them. The woman flashed a contrite smile.

"Terribly sorry, girls," she apologized. "It's a small bookstore. Voices tend to carry." Lucy set down the paper she was holding onto the table.

"It's alright, Ervana-san."

"So this isn't the first time you've asked for help?" Levy asked.

"It's the only time we've sent out a formal request to wizard guilds. We've hired professional investigators in the past, but they turned up dry. Maybe it's because we waited too long…" Levy blinked.

"How long _did_ you wait to start looking for Irien…?"

"Oh, we only started two years ago," Ervana explained. "We wanted to wait until we were fully settled into a new place before trying to find Irien. That way he'd have a nice home to come back to if we were successful in our search. Unfortunately, we didn't think it would take that many years…" Lucy nodded.

"I understand," she said with a smile. "And that's the kind of sentiment that makes me glad we took this job. When we find Irien, he'll have such loving parents to come back to."

"Do you really think you three can pull through?"

"Absolutely. We'll find your son. Don't you worry."

"_Ehhhhh_!?" Levy's shriek interrupted their moment. Lucy's first thought was that maybe Levy had remembered something that could help them. With her amount of knowledge, anything was possible; however, the bluenette's next words dashed that possibility. "Er-Ervana-san! I-Is this _true_? Was Irien really a _lightning user_?"

"_What_!?" Lucy exclaimed. "Give me that!" She snatched the paper in Levy's hands away from her, and began reading it herself. True to the outburst, Cobalt and Ervana had put down that Irien's magic was lightning-based. It was there plainly in black and white lettering. Lucy's brown eyes bulged. "Holy _crap_… Wait a minute though; I thought Cobalt-san said Irien's magic abilities were _weak_! How is using _lightning_ weak!?"

"And I thought you and Cobalt-san were different types of mages back then!" Levy added, still getting over the shock. "A transformation specialist and a Solid Script mage like me, right?"

"The ability to use lightning stems from me, actually," Ervana explained. "The men in my family were lightning users traditionally, and the females… Well, you can figure that out without much help."

"Solid Script mages?"

"Yes. According to my grandfather, it's been that way for generations."

"But what about that thing you guys mentioned about Irien being weak?" Lucy questioned again.

"He was weak because he couldn't actually _use_ lightning. He only had immunity to it." Ervana frowned. "We found that out the hard way… He was out in a thunderstorm one night after chasing a frog onto the roof from his bedroom window. He was struck by lightning and the only thing wrong with him was a small burn where it had first hit him. Irien was almost three at the time."

"_Yikes_." Lucy winced. The mental image of that sweet little boy she'd seen in the pictures getting hit by lightning didn't sit well with her at all. "I can't imagine what it was like watching your only child get struck by a force of nature like that."

"It was terrifying; but at that moment, we were just glad he wasn't a born a girl. You wouldn't be here today if that were the case."

"… I still don't understand why you would call your son weak though, Ervana-san," Levy said. Her brows furrowed. "I think immunity to lightning is a sign of _strength_, not the opposite."

"No, he wasn't strong… My family's lightning users generally start showing signs of their abilities around that age. They have little control over the output of their magic, and make anything that runs on electricity go haywire. Not to mention the static cling and shocks other people would get when making physical contact with them. I saw it happen with my little brother. No such thing happened with Irien." Ervana stared wistfully out the store's window. "My son was definitely not going to be a wizard when he grew up; not with a pitiful level of magic like that… Even so… That didn't matter to me. It _still_ doesn't matter to me. I just want him back."

Before Lucy could attempt to console her female client again, the sound of the front door's bell chimed throughout the store. Gajeel made his way across the room at a leisurely pace.

"We'd better head out now," he said. "The old man said if we wanna get back to Magnolia soon, it's better to leave on the first train outta' here. According to him, that's at midday _sharp_."

"Midday sharp?" Levy asked. "As in, twelve on the dot?" A glance over at the wall's analog clock sent her to her feet immediately. "Oh no! We've only got ten minutes to make it to the train station!"

"What!?" Lucy followed suit, practically leaping off her chair. "We've gotta leave _now_, then!" Quickly, she and Levy bundled up the papers they had been given and shoved them into a backpack Levy had bought at the store. A brand new, blue-bound book followed. Both girls bowed to Ervana.

"Thank you so much for everything!" Levy exclaimed. "And thank you for the book on Solid Script magic!"

"We'll get right to work as soon as we get back to the guild!" Lucy reassured her. Ervana smiled.

"I wish you all luck. Now, you'd best go catch that train, or you'll be stuck here even longer."

"Right!"

* * *

They made in into their seats with barely a minute left to spare.

Gajeel instantly positioned himself in a way that would not move the entire train ride. Levy sat next to him, which was across from Lucy.

"How long do you think it'll take Reedus to come up with a good sketch?" Lucy inquired, crossing her legs and leaning on them. Levy hummed in thought.

"I don't know… Reedus is very skilled, but I don't think he's ever been asked to do something like this before… Then again, how hard could it be?" Levy reached into her new blue knapsack and pulled out one of the photos they had been allowed to take. "I mean, I'm no artist or anything, so I wouldn't know… But even at age four, Irien seems to be a perfect mix of Cobalt-san and Ervana-san. He couldn't have changed _that_ much as he got older." She handed the photo to Lucy, who took it eagerly.

The photo was of Irien and Cobalt on a dock somewhere. Cobalt was holding up a bass on a fishing line, something he had obviously caught. Irien was, of course, smiling like the child he was. Lucy found herself giving a smile of her own.

Levy was right – Irien was a complete blend of his parents. They had red and white hair, and he ended up with pink; Cobalt was very darkly-tanned and Ervana was very pale, so he had come out with a nice, normal-looking skin tone; the smile and shape of his eyes were all his father's, but Irien had obviously inherited his cheeks and eye color from his mother.

Lucy didn't know if that was genetically possible or not, but to her, it was kind of odd. Usually a child looked more or less like one of their parents. Heck, she herself didn't get _any_ of her looks from her father. Someone being the perfect mix of both parents seemed… a little unnatural, to say the least; but who was she to question nature? Especially when concerning the bloodline of magic-users? The genetics were probably even more complicated for wizards than it was for normal people. She didn't want to think about it too hard, so she pushed the thought to the back of her mind with the intention of keeping it there.

"I just hope we can really pull this off," the blonde mused quietly. "I'd hate to disappoint the Isdonas. They've been without their son for such a long time, never knowing what happened to him… They deserve closure."

"And they're going to get it," Levy insisted with a determined smile. "After all, we're Fairy Tail wizards! We can do anything! And besides…" With a wink, she added, "Who knows family better than Fairy Tail?"

Lucy was happy to hear her best friend speak those words.

* * *

For once, the guild wasn't being torn apart by one of Gray and Natsu's rivalry-induced battles. Granted, their absence made the difference, but it was still nice to see the chaos to a minimum when they got back.

Mirajane greeted them, asking the trio how the meet with their clients went. Lucy and Levy explained the situation as best they could to the female bartender, leaving her with a sympathetic smile on her face.

"Those poor people… For their sake, I hope you guys will be able to complete this request." Lucy and Levy hoped for the same outcome. They said good-bye to Mirajane and went to go talk to Reedus. Gajeel stayed put because he wanted to order some food.

Reedus was sitting at a table with Wendy and Charle. The latter two were sitting on either side of him, watching him paint a portrait of Alzack and Bisca. The Sky Dragonslayer was giving him compliments here and there. Charle was silent.

"Excuse me, Reedus?"

The Picto Magic user looked up from his canvas. Lucy and Levy slid into the seats on the opposite side of the table. Wendy smiled at them.

"Ah, Lucy-san! Levy-san! How are you?"

"We're fine, Wendy," Lucy replied.

"We just need to ask Reedus for a favor," Levy said. Reedus blinked.

"M-Me?"

"Yes." Levy slipped her bag off of her shoulders and dug through it. She pulled out one of the color photos of Irien they had brought, and passed it over to the artist. Reedus picked it up, cocking his head to one side. Levy began to explain their situation. "You see, Lu-chan, Gajeel, and I took up a retrieval mission yesterday. We need to find this boy, Irien Isdona. He was separated from his parents fourteen years ago during Discord Palette's raid on Darnacor." Reedus frowned at the mention of the town, but let Levy continue. "Irien is about four in those pictures. We need you to create a drawing of what he would look like today, if he were about our age. It would make searching for him a lot easier by having something to work with. If you need other pictures, we have three others." Wendy and Charle peered over to get a better look at the photo.

"Oh, wow!" Wendy gasped. She giggled. "He looks just like a little Natsu!"

"I didn't think anyone else in the _world_ would have a head of hair like _that_," Charle commented dryly. Lucy laughed.

"Yeah, me neither. Turns out, Irien ended up with a blended version of his parents' hair colors. His dad has red hair and his mom has white, and that made him a rose-head."

"Excuse me…" Reedus piped up. All four girls turned their attention to the bashful artist. Reedus looked at Levy. "You said you had other photos, right? You wouldn't happen to have ones with his parents in them too, would you…?"

"Ah, of course!" Levy stuck her hand into the backpack again and brought out the rest of the photos, eagerly handing them over to her guild mate. "Does that mean you can do it, Reedus?"

"I… I can try." Reedus's eyes widened when he saw the one photo that had all three of the family in it. "Th-This boy… He certainly has… It looks like his defining features had already set in by then. That's unusual…" Lucy felt her own eyes getting bigger when she heard that. _So I was right, _she thought. _There __**is**__ something strange about that._

"How is it unusual?" Wendy asked. Charle floated over to her friend.

"It's unusual because someone's defining traits don't set in until they're much older," the white cat clarified. "Of course, some features can be permanent from a young age, but this isn't as common an occurrence."

"I-I see…" Reedus studied the picture a bit more.

"I'm… I'm not a genetics expert by any means…" he said. "But it looks like both of his parents had some very dominant traits. That's probably why this boy has such striking features so early on." He brought his gaze back up to the teen girls in front of him. "Either way… I'll do the best I can to help. When do you need an accurate portrayal by?" Lucy and Levy looked at each other.

"Uhh… Hmm… I don't think we have a deadline," Levy mused. "But we'd like it as soon as possible." Reedus nodded.

"I'll start working on it when I'm done with my current project."

"Really, Reedus? Thank you so much!" Reedus just blushed and scratched behind his head.

"A-Anything for a fellow guild ma-"

The guild doors burst open before the artist could finish.

"WE'RE _BAAAAAAAAAACK_!"

"Aye sir!"

Lucy cringed as she heard her loudest teammates make their way through the entrance. Gray followed behind, quieter than Natsu and Happy as usual.

"For god's sake, can't you ever do things _quietly_?" he grumbled.

"No way, Ice Prick!" Natsu laughed heartily. "Where's the fun in _that_!?"

"Welcome back, you three!" Mirajane called. "How did the mission go?" Gray waved a greeting to her. Natsu's canines gleamed.

"It was _way_ too simple!" the rosette cackled. "You'd think it was that group's first time robbing a town, they were so weak!" Gray snorted.

"And more than half the Jewels we were supposed to get went towards fixing the buildings that _you_ destroyed."

"Natsu went overboard again," Happy snickered.

"I did _not_!" Natsu protested, getting in Gray's face. "And what do you mean by 'the buildings _I_ destroyed'!? _Huh_!? I seem to recall _you_ knocking a few places down, so don't you go putting the blame on _me_!"

"Why _wouldn't_ I!?" Gray challenged. "Everything that goes wrong on a mission is usually _your_ fault, anyway!"

"Say that again! I _dare_ ya, Snow Man!"

"Flames-for-Brains!"

"Frigid asshole!"

"Flaming idiot!"

"Stripper!"

"What was that!?"

"Oh, it's _so_ good to be back home…" Lucy muttered, sighing heavily.

"These two make me miss Cobalt-san and Ervana-san," Levy giggled.

"Boys, I'd stop arguing if I were you…!" Mirajane scolded the fire and ice boys lightly. "Erza may be on an S-Class mission, but what if she came back early and saw you two fighting like two cats after the last sardine?" At the mention of Erza, Natsu and Gray froze and broke apart.

"F-Fine," Natsu grunted, folding his arms. "I don't wanna be fighting against a weakling little snowflake anyway."

"Y-Yeah," Gray begrudgingly agreed while unconsciously taking off his shirt. "It'd be no fun putting out a little match like that quickly."

"Bastard." Gray ignored the insult and made his way over to the table where his other team member sat.

"Yo, Lucy," he greeted. "What've you been up to? Sorry we left you behind like that."

"I-It's okay, Gray…" Lucy mumbled. "But can you please put your pants back on?"

"Huh?" The Ice Make wizard looked down. "Crap! Not again!"

Somewhere in the guild, Juvia was hiding behind a pillar and biting at a handkerchief. _How dare Lucy hog all of Gray-sama's attention like that! She will pay!_

"Phew… Thanks for that, Lucy," Gray breathed, slipping his belt through the loops on his pants. "Anyway, so what have you been up to?" He glancing at the table. "You take up photography or something while we were gone?" He snatched one of the photos from Reedus, and looked at it. An amused smirk crossed his face. "What are _these_? Natsu's baby photos or something? Where'd you get 'em?"

"Hey, let me see those!" Natsu yelled, dashing over to Gray's side and peering over his shoulder. He frowned. "That doesn't look like me!"

"Are you kidding, Pyro? It's practically a match!"

"Aye, sir," Happy chanted, resting on Natsu's head. "Very alike."

"Nuh-uh! I know what I look like, and I'm _way_ better looking than that kid!" the fire-eater protested.

"Really? I'd say it's the other way around."

"That's because you're blind, you naked popsicle!"

"At least I look _good_ naked!"

"_Yeah_!? Well, at least I-! … Wait, how the hell would you know what I look like when I'm naked?"

"I _don't_! I just know I'm better-looking!"

"Oh, hey Erza!" Lucy called. Natsu and Gray broke up their fighting once again, only to find Lucy snorting in laughter.

"Stop _joking_ like that, Luce!" Natsu snapped.

"Yeah," Gray agreed. "It wasn't funny the first time, and it's not going to be funny any time after that."

"I thought it was funny," Wendy commented to no one in particular. Charle huffed.

"Honestly, these Fairy Tail wizards…"

"Sorry, sorry," Lucy apologized to the boys with a smile. "I needed to get you two to shut up for two seconds so I could explain. These aren't pictures of Natsu. They're pictures of a boy named Irien Isdona. His parents posted in the guilds, saying that they wanted us to find him."

"You took up a solo mission, Lucy?" Gray asked, surprised.

"No, not exactly. Levy-chan asked me to tag along because she knew I needed the rent money. I went with her and Gajeel to-"

"Wait, you went on a mission!?" Natsu exclaimed. "Without me!?"

"Without us!?" Happy chimed.

"What did you _expect_ me to do!? Wait for you guys to come back!?" Lucy fought back. "I have rent to pay, and the clients agreed to pay us for each day we work!"

"I can't believe you took up a job without us!"

"Aye!"

"I didn't take it up, I was asked to join! Besides, what does it matter to you!?"

"We're _partners_, Luce! We're supposed to be _together_!"

"Oh yeah!? You left me behind, moron! Or did you forget!?"

"Err…"

"Hypocrite!"

"Lucy's mean…"

"Oh, stuff it, cat!"

Wendy shifted nervously in her seat as she watched the banter go back and forth between the dragon and the Celestial Spirit mage. "Umm…! Levy-san? Do they always do this?" Levy grinned.

"You mean fight? Not usually, but it's not out of the ordinary. They tend to be disagreeable when the topic of missions and or Natsu's behavior pops up. Personally, I think they need a fight once in a while to keep cool." The blue-haired bookworm chuckled. "They're like a couple, aren't they?"

"Levy-chan! We are _not_!"

"They _llllllllllike_ each other…"

"I said, _stuff it_!"

* * *

So. Much. Dialogue.

Yeah, I don't see Reedus much in either the manga or anime, so I wasn't sure how to write his character. The most I got from Google'ing him was that he was shy. Which isn't much to go on.

And no, Irien doesn't look _that_ much like Natsu… Everyone just loves to tease him.


	4. The Mogari Forest

I think this is my only updated fanfiction at the moment. And by that, I mean _Holy fuck I'm putting out a chapter almost every day, this has never happened before._

* * *

**_Chapter 4 - The Mogari Forest_**

* * *

_Name: Isdona, Irien_

_Gender: Male_

_Age: 18, 4 when first missing_

_Birthday: May 6th, X767_

_Hair Color: Pink/Dusty Rose_

_Eye Color: Gray (?)_

_Blood Type: AB -_

_Allergies: Trofaline rock (Native to Darnacor's area)_

Lucy tapped her pencil on her desk. Was that all she needed to put down? It seemed like there should be more. The more information, the better. Right? And this _was_ an investigation… But there was so much to sort out! How was she supposed to know what was important and what wasn't?

And how was she supposed to concentrate when there was a Dragonslayer moping around her apartment and eating her out of house and home!?

Her pencil tip snapped.

"Will you quit _eating_ already!?" she screamed, turning around in her chair. "I'm not going to be able to pay for my rent or my groceries if you keep devouring everything in sight!" Natsu promptly looked up from his spot on the floor, his face full of the chips he had been stuffing in his mouth. He swallowed them in one go, and then spoke.

"But I'm _starving_!" he protested. His expression turned grouchy. "And you've been busy for _days_… We haven't even been able to go on _missions_!"

"Aye!" Happy chirped from his spot on the table.

Half a week had passed since Lucy, Levy, and Gajeel had accepted the mission posted by the Isdonas. During that time, it had been Lucy's job to create a sort of profile for Irien while Levy and Gajeel went about their own tasks – Levy was trying to put in a request to meet with the members of Discord Palette who had been detained and imprisoned by the magic council, and Gajeel was attempting to find someone who would take them to what remained of Darnacor.

Surprisingly, Gajeel had pulled through before the girls had. A man he had spoken to – And probably roughed up a bit – Said he'd make sure a carriage was available to drop them off as close to the town as possible. Lucy had asked why there wasn't a train, and Levy explained that since they were the only three people interested in going to Darnacor it wouldn't be a wise decision to hog an entire train line to themselves. With that logic, Lucy agreed that a carriage was fine.

They were to meet in Onibus Town tomorrow morning. The Celestial Spirit mage was trying to get her sheet on Irien done before then, and she wanted it to be _perfect_. Between the mistakes she kept making, the distractions all around her, and her lack of a pencil sharpener, she wasn't sure how she was supposed to finish.

Her primary distraction snatched up the paper she had been writing on.

"Natsu! Give that back!" Lucy leapt out of her chair trying to get the sheet back. Natsu held her at arm's distance with his hand while he read.

"The kid's allergic to a _rock_?" he chortled. "How the hell can you be allergic to _that_? A rock is a rock. You use it to hit stupid people."

"I'm about to use a rock on a stupid person _right now_, if you don't give that back!"

"You have a _rock_ in here?"

"I can go get one!"

"Lucy's not very threatening right now, is she?" Happy snickered. His grin wore off when Lucy's face darkened into a heated glare. The blue cat sprouted wings and flew into a corner of the room. "Waaaaah! Lucy's making a mean face at me!" Lucy chose to ignore that comment in favor of ripping Natsu's arm away. She snatched the paper out of his hand forcefully, being careful not to rip it.

"_Honestly_, Natsu!" she huffed, folding her arms. "If you're that stir-crazy, then go on a mission by yourself!"

"No," Natsu refused childishly. He frowned. "We're _partners_, Luce. We're supposed to be together! Besides, it's boring doing missions by myself now."

"Hmm? 'Now'?" Lucy blinked. "What do you mean by that?" Natsu shrugged.

"I was fine going on missions by myself before you came along, but it turns out it's a lot more fun doing them with a friend!" The rosette flashed his signature child-like grin, complete with canines showing.

In Natsu's own goofball way, he was saying that he liked it when she was around. A touching sentiment to say the least, but that didn't completely excuse his behavior. Lucy sighed heavily.

"You make it really hard to stay mad at you, you know that, Pinky?" Natsu narrowed his eyes at the nickname.

"Don't _you_ start calling me that…" he growled. "Hearing it from Gajeel is enough."

"Well, thanks to one of our clients, Gajeel's got a nickname of his own." Lucy smirked. "Call him Needles and see what happens."

"Do I get a nickname too?" Happy asked, flying back over once he knew it was safe.

"I thought you already had one. Charle likes to call you a stupid tomcat, doesn't she?" Happy pouted. His ears flicked.

"I need to go ask Charle to give me a _real_ nickname!"

"You don't need a nickname, buddy!" Natsu said. "I like you just being Happy." The cat grinned.

"Alright, Natsu!" Happy chirped.

"Wow, that topic diverted quickly…" Lucy noted beneath her breath. "Look, I _promise_ we'll go on a mission soon, but I _really_ want to get this one done, first! So _please_ let me be for now, guys." Natsu folded his arms in protest.

"But who knows how long it'll take you to find that brat? Just take a break and do something with me and Happy."

"No, Natsu."

"Come on."

"I said, no."

"I can keep going the whole night, you know. I'm not leaving until you agree."

Lucy didn't doubt he would. He was probably planning on staying anyway because he likes her bed. This would just be an extra reason to bug her.

"You are a _pain_, sometimes…" she moaned. "… Alright, how about this? If you stop being annoying, you can come with us to Darnacor tomorrow. It's not really a mission for you, but we'll still be together while one of us works."

Natsu didn't look too into the idea. "I dunno… I like it better when we go on missions that are just for us… And this sounds boring."

"You know, I heard Erza's supposed to come back tomorrow. Wait until she finds out about you and Gray fighting again!"

"Did I say boring? I meant fantastic. Let's do it."

* * *

Natsu regretted that choice the moment he stepped onto the train to Onibus. He got through the ride without throwing up too much, but only because the chant he said in his head distracted him for a while. _It's better than Erza, it's better than Erza, it's better than Erza…_

Lucy and Happy managed to pull him off of the train without too much trouble. Once his feet touched solid ground, Natsu miraculously sprang back to life.

"Oh, man! I am _never_ getting on one of those again!" Lucy just rolled her eyes. He always said that, yet they always managed to drag him along with no trouble. Sometimes she had the feeling that the fire-eater forgot he had motion sickness until he got on a moving vehicle.

"Lu-chan! Over here!"

A blue head of hair snuck up on Lucy out of the corner of her eye. Levy and Gajeel made their way over to their fellow Fairy Tail mages eagerly.

Well, _Levy_ was eager. Gajeel was his usual indifferent self, until he saw Natsu. "The hell is Pinky and his cat doing here? They aren't part of this."

"Shut it, Needles," Natsu barked. "Lucy's my teammate, so I go where she goes!" Gajeel looked taken aback at the nickname.

"O-Oi! Where'd you hear that fro-!?"

"Also, he wouldn't leave me alone until I asked him if he wanted to come," Lucy cut off the Iron Dragonslayer. "It was either get continuously annoyed the entire night, have him tag along, or take a break from this mission and go on another one with him and Happy. There was no way for me to win."

"Why wouldn't he just go on a mission by himself?" Levy asked. "I know you're partners and everything, but he's gone solo before."

"He says he liked it better when I'm around." When Levy gave her a knowing smirk, Lucy quickly corrected herself. "I- He meant that it's more fun going on a mission with friends! He didn't actually mean _me_! Don't give me that look, Levy-chan!"

"Whatever you say, Lu-chan."

"Hey! You four!"

Said four simultaneously turned their heads to the source of the call. A man who looked to be somewhere in his thirties was making their way over to them. He wore a straw hat on top of his dark hair along with a flannel shirt and loose jeans.

"Pardon me, guys," he greeted them. "But I believe you're all part of the Fairy Tail group I'm supposed to help?"

"That's us," Gajeel said. He gestured to the man with his head. "This is Noburo. He's the guy I spoke to about getting a ride to that town." Noburo scoffed.

"Spoke to… Right, _threatened_ is more like it."

"Oh, Gajeel…" Levy sighed. Noburo shared her sentiment.

"Well, I ain't gonna hold it against 'im. If you guys wanna get to Darnacor quickly, then we'd best hurry. My carriage is parked closer to the edge of town." Natsu's eyes widened in fear.

"A-_Another_…? _Nooooo_! I _**hate**_ transportation!"

"Get over it, Pinky."

"_Shut up_, Needles!"

* * *

One thing that Levy forgot to mention about Darnacor was that it was completely surrounded by forest. It was easy to get in, but trying to find their way out of it quickly became another layer of Hell for them.

The Mogari Forest was filled with all different types of trees and vegetation. You turn one way, you see vines. Turn the other, you see hanging moss. Look up, you see bamboo. Look down, you see pockets and puddles of some kind of spongy substance that Lucy didn't want to think too hard about.

Of course, while crowded with plant life, it was also very beautiful. Flowers, berries, and other colorful organisms could be found in nearly every direction you looked in. Lucy had even spotted the trofaline rock at some points. It stuck out like a sore thumb, with its glittering surface and greenish tint. It was hard to miss.

"Are we out of this place yet!?" Gajeel yelled. "This is starting to grate on my nerves! It took us _hours_ to get here, and now it's taking us even longer to find this damn town!"

"It's not our fault that the forest is like this," Levy bristled. "And it's not supposed to be easy to get through, anyway! The people who lived in Darnacor made sure it was thick so that anyone trying to come and harm them would get lost!"

"I guess it didn't work out very well, in the end," Lucy said. "How did Discord Palette manage to get _through_ all this?"

"Wind magic," Levy replied. "The Wind Magic users of Discord Palette flew over for aerial attacks and found the town, and the rest of the dark guild followed the sounds and energy being released."

"And people say flying isn't a great power!" Happy scoffed.

"It's great, alright…" Lucy murmured. "But I don't think it's great that it was used to take out an entire town and murder most of the population."

"Ohhh, that's true…"

"Well, that's just fucking _**great**_," Gajeel growled. "The guys who _weren't_ supposed to make it though _did_, and _we're_ walking around without a _clue_. The only consolation is that Pinky over there hasn't said a word in a while. His irritating voice would just make this even _less_ bearable than it already is."

Lucy instantly stopped walking at that. _Natsu_? Not speaking? That guy was _never_ quiet, to the point where Lucy was sure that just the sheer volume he spoke at sometimes was the reason he wasn't an S-Class wizard. Something was wrong.

"Natsu?" she called, glancing over her shoulder. "Are you alri-? _Natsu_!" Lucy's shriek diverted the rest of the group's attention. Once they saw what warranted the high-pitched noise, they also received the same shock.

Natsu, all-powerful Fire Dragonslayer with virtually no weaknesses save for transportation, was lying on the ground a few yards back. He was facedown and unmoving.

Happy and Lucy were by his side in an instant. The blonde mage knelt down in front of him and started shaking him. "Natsu! Natsu, what's wrong!?"

"Hey Natsu, there's a free buffet close by!" Happy tried. No physical response from the fire-eater. Happy started biting his nails. "Shoot, something like that usually works!"

"Natsu, look! Lucy's wearing a skimpy maid outfit!" Levy called out. Lucy's vein pulsed.

"If that didn't work before, _why_ would it work now!?" she yelled.

"Someone's used that _before_?" Gajeel asked, obviously surprised at the revelation. "Someone was stupid enough to think that would work?" Happy stuck his nose up at this._ It seemed like a good suggestion at the time!_ Levy frowned.

"I didn't know someone's said that before! Either way, it couldn't hurt to try!" the Solid Script mage insisted. "Why don't you try something, then? Maybe a kiss from a princess will help?"

"That's not _funny_, Levy-chan!" Lucy growled in annoyance. She bit her lip. After the Tower of Heaven incident… What was it that got Natsu up the last time he was unconscious, even for a brief moment? _Oh, right!_ "Natsu, wake up! Gray just called you a weakling pile of cinders and says you can't take him in a real battle!"

"_I'll kill the bastard_!" Natsu's head immediately lifted, with a noticeably pissed off expression on his face.

"Well, he's fine," Gajeel muttered. Two seconds though, Natsu's expression grew weary and tired, and he found himself kissing the dirt again. Gajeel snorted. "Spoke too soon."

"Natsu?" Lucy put her hands on either side of her friend's head and lifted it up. His usually slanted eyes were drooping, and on one side of his face his skin had become blotched with ink-like lavender spots. She was reservations about touching the spots, but she pushed her reluctance aside. She was more worried about the fire mage than anything at the moment. "Natsu, answer me. What happened to you? Why are you suddenly collapsing when we're just walking?" Natsu frowned.

"I feel fine," he said drowsily. "I'm super. Just a little tired, 's all…" The obvious lie irritated Lucy to no end. Before she could smack the clearly-ill Dragonslayer, Levy bent down beside her and inspected his face.

"Natsu… Did you touch anything out of the ordinary?" she questioned. "Did you inhale something, eat something you weren't supposed to…?"

"'Course not… Whaddaya' take me for, an idiot…?"

"Right now, yes."

"Hey, that's not nice…"

"Deal with it. I'm trying to help you." Levy sent her gaze over to Happy. "Happy, you were with Natsu for most of the time. You didn't see him eat anything or touch anything, did you?"

"N-No…" Happy replied, shaking with fear. "As far as I know, we only bumped through some bushes n' stuff… They were pretty, too…" The cat gasped in horror. "You don't think the bushes attacked Natsu, do you!?"

"Wha-? No!" Levy shook her head. "But depending on what you guys went through, he could be having an allergic reaction to something."

"Hold on a minute…" Lucy said.

"You know something, Lu-chan?"

"Not sure…" Lucy bent her neck downwards and squinted her eyes. Something was in Natsu's hair, making it look purple. "What the heck?" She brushed her fingers through the contaminated strands. Instantly, the pink color returned, at the price of turning the mage's fingers blue. Lucy immediately began rubbing the dust-like particles off on her clothes. "What the-!? Why does he have blue powder in his bangs!? Of all things!"

"Wait a minute, Lu-chan!" Levy grabbed her friend's wrist and brought her hand back up to where she could see. The bluenette inspected Lucy's fingers carefully. Her hazel eyes widened. "This isn't powder – It's pollen!"

"You mean a _flower_ did this to him?" Gajeel sniggered. "What a weakling." Levy glared at her teammate angrily.

"This isn't a joke, Gajeel! He could seriously be sick!" Lucy's worries only increased from there. _But how would pollen get on his hair in the first place? … Unless…_

"Natsu. Natsu, look at me!" Natsu slowly complied with the request. He was having some issues with keeping his eyes open. Lucy smacked his cheek a little, as if it would help. "Natsu, did you walk into a low branch or vine or something? Anything that would've gotten this pollen in your hair?"

"Dunno…" the fire-eater murmured. "Can't remember…"

"Wake up, _damn it_!" Lucy screamed. "If you want to get better, you'd better _damn well_ remember!"

"Stop yelling at Natsu, Lucy!" Happy protested. "He can't help it if he's sick!"

"No, but he _could_ pay attention to where the hell he's walking!"

"Wait… A low-hanging vine…?" Levy snapped her fingers in realization. "Natsu, did you by any chance see a flower that had orange and white petals? With blue pollen in the center?" Natsu seemed to be contemplating the question.

"Hmm… … … Oh, hey. Yeah, I did…" He blew his bangs up tiredly. "Stupid flower got me in my face… It shouldn't have been hanging low where people can hit it… I should go teach it a lesson…"

"No, you shouldn't. You should rest." Levy turned to the others. "Natsu probably came across something called the Kodora. It's a type of flower indigenous to this forest and this forest alone."

"The… Kodora flower?" Lucy repeated. She definitely knew that flower. She had come across it when looking up trofaline; but she thought the flower had grown on the ground! "It hangs from _vines_?" Levy nodded before going into her bookworm mode.

"Not usually, but yes. Usually, it grows directly on trofaline. That rock has same special properties as the Kodora, which allow it to grow. If the Kodora was hanging from a vine that means the trees they hung from were growing directly on top of the trofaline." Levy took a break to catch her breath. "The property that links the Kodora with trofaline is an unstable substance in its purest form, though, so a lot of the people in Darnacor had severe allergies to both the rock _and_ the flower." Gajeel raised a studded brow.

"Are you saying that this idiot _somehow_ contracted an allergy to something he's never seen before?"

"Yes." Levy frowned skeptically. "Although it's unusual for someone not from that area to have a reaction… It's the only explanation I can think of. I'll have to read up more on the Kodora to find a way to cure Natsu."

"With what references?"

"You underestimate me, Gajeel." Levy shifted her shoulders, showing the Iron Dragonslayer her backpack. "I _always_ come prepared. Books are my thing. They follow me everywhere, especially when I don't know much about an area."

"Of course they do."

"Is… Is Natsu gonna be okay…?" Happy sniffled. Levy flashed him a kind smile.

"I'll see what I can do, Happy," the replied. "He's not going to die or anything, though, so no need to worry. Reactions to Kodora allergies typically include contracting rashes, breaking out, fever, and fatigue, but not death." Lucy breathed a deep sigh she didn't know she'd been holding. _Thank god…_ With newfound determination, the blonde spoke.

"We need to get out of this forest as soon as possible," she stated. "Happy, can you fly up and see if you can spot the town?"

"Aye!" Happy activated his Aera magic, and took off. The other three watched him in suspense. Two seconds later, when he was high above the trees, Happy called down to them. "You guys! We have to head east!"

"Alright! Thanks, Happy!" Levy called back to him. "Do you think you can stay up in the air and fly towards Darnacor so we could follow you?"

"Aye! Anything to help Natsu!"

"Great!" Levy stood up, and brushed her shirt off. She looked at Gajeel intensely, and motioned over to Natsu. "Gajeel, you carry him."

"_What_!?" Gajeel roared. "You want me to _carry_ the idiot!? _Why_!?"

"Because Lu-chan and I are too weak to do it! You're the one out of us with the most physical strength! You can't even bend your pride to help a friend!? I can't believe you!"

"He's _not_ my-!"

"Yes, he _is_! He'd do the same for you, so get that _pole_ out of your butt and just _help_ him! Like a _real_ Fairy Tail wizard would!"

The urge to give a low whistle was strong to Lucy. Levy was small, but she sure could dish it out.

The Script mage and the Dragonslayer stared each other down for minutes. It was clear that they both had wills of steel that neither wanted broken. After a while, though, Gajeel backed down. He gave a contemptuous snort.

"Fine. Have it your way, pixie." Gajeel went over and picked Natsu up by his vest, and heaved him over his shoulder. His red gaze went upward, to where Happy had been watching the scene with interest. "Cat! Start flying! I don't wanna haul Pinky's ass around for longer than I have to!"

"R-Right away!" Happy began flying off in the east direction. Gajeel ran after him, keeping the cat in sight while watching where he went on the ground. The girls trailed after them at a much slower pace.

"I don't believe him," Levy grunted. Lucy cocked a brow.

"What? That Gajeel wouldn't carry Natsu? Even _I_ expected an argument about that."

"Not that! He called me a _pixie_!" Levy would have folded her arms, had it not been for the running she was currently doing. "Oooh, he's going to _pay_ for that one!"

Lucy just sighed to herself.

* * *

Gotta love a spunky Levy.

Fun Fact: 'kodora' means 'little tiger'. 'Mogari' means 'bamboo fence', but also utilizes the kanji for 'tiger'. Those who like the Eastern mythology would know that tigers and dragons never mix!


	5. In Sickness

These next two chapters are going to be short. (I.e., under 3k words.) Sorry.

Also, Hagane no Hakunetsusen from the third OST is now my favorite. FIREBALL NATSU!

* * *

_**Chapter 5 - In Sickness**_

* * *

Darnacor was as barren and torn apart as one might think it was.

Piles of lumber and bricks lay in places houses once did. The couple of buildings that did survive were few, but sturdy. There were crevasses in the ground that gave the illusion of a giant monster digging its claws into the streets. Black, smeared circles with different patterns were littered across the debris – According to Levy, these were the remnants of the magic circles the dark guild used. All in all, it wasn't hard too hard to picture what went on in the area nearly two decades ago.

"This is just… For a lack of a better word, this is _depressing_ to look at," Lucy mumbled. "What kind of monsters could do this to a single town and not have regrets…?"

"Discord Palette, of course," Levy said. She appeared to be holding herself together better, but on the inside she was just as shocked and disgusted as Lucy was. "Now, let's see… The biggest building should be the town hall, and the town hall should be in the center of this place. We should keep heading straight."

"Remind me again why we need to find the town hall?" Lucy asked. "You know, assuming it's still standing?"

"Records," Levy said plainly, stepping over another gap in the ground as they walked. "If nothing's happened to the building… Not only will they have copies of medical records, but they'll probably have copies of birth certificates. If we can find Irien's, we'll get fingerprints."

"Right… Because Cobalt-san and Ervana-san didn't have a copy." Lucy frowned. "I think that's a little strange. They have all that information about Irien, but they didn't bother keeping track of his birth certificate copy?"

"I find that odd too, but to be honest, it shouldn't come as much of a shock. Would _you_ know where to look for a piece of paper after over ten years of moving around?"

"No, but I don't have any pieces of paper with that kind of sentimental value… Not even my work-in-progress novel."

"Which, by the way, I'm still going to read when you're done."

"Of course, Levy-chan. You'll be the first." Lucy smiled briefly, although she lost it once she looked back over her shoulder. Their chat had kept her mind off of a certain fire-breather for a few minutes, but her worries felt the need to remind her that they had left him behind. Levy frowned when she saw her best friend stop walking.

"Something wrong, Lu-chan?" Lucy faced front again.

"You… don't think it was a mistake leaving Gajeel and Happy to watch Natsu… Do you…?"

"Not really. Happy is Natsu's best friend, and Gajeel wouldn't harm him when he can't fight back."

"How can you be sure?"

"Gajeel's not as much of a ruffian as he was when he was in Phantom Lord. Anyway, if he wanted to harm Natsu, he'd want Natsu to be awake and able to fight. It's just the way he is. I'm sure they'll be fine. Besides…" Levy pouted and folded her arms childishly. "This is Gajeel's punishment for calling me a pixie." Lucy laughed nervously.

"Still sore about that, huh?"

"A _pixie_! Grr… I'll show him the all-mighty wrath of this pixie has if he ever calls me that again!"

"I'm sure you'll get your chance."

* * *

Meanwhile, in a one-room house that was left standing, Gajeel was impatiently drumming his fingers on a wooden table. He snarled to nobody in particular.

"I can't _believe_ they left me with guard duty to this idiot…" Just looking at Natsu lying on the cot was making him pissed off. _Why did this moron have to come along? He's the living definition of dead weight at the moment!_ "He's just _sleeping_, ain't he? Why does he need a damn _babysitter_ if he's just knocked out? Besides, it's not like he's at risk at the moment! Nobody would even _think_ of coming to this wasteland, and that flower's nowhere in sight!"

"Stop complaining, Gajeel," Happy snapped. He was sitting on the cot next to Natsu, making sure nothing bad was going to happen to him. Normally he'd be sitting on his best friend's chest, but Levy told him not to do anything that would restrict the Dragonslayer's breathing. "_You're_ the one who didn't want to carry him around anymore... Besides, it's not like you would be any help to the girls right now anyway. When it comes to books 'n stuff, you're a lot dumber than they are."

"_Shut_ it, cat," Gajeel growled. "I _know_. Just let me vent in peace."

"Fine…" Happy turned his attention back to Natsu. The fire-eater looked fairly peaceful in his sleep, but the weird rash from earlier hadn't gone away. The blue cat didn't know if he should be worried or not. _I hope Lucy and Levy get back soon…_

* * *

"You've _got_ to be kidding me. Are you _serious_?"

"Oh, right. Of _course_ this would happen to us."

The Fairy Tail girls stared despondently at the empty entrance inside the town hall. A dirty plaque reading _Records Room_ hung above it, somehow managing to stay screwed into the wall. They had finally been able to find the place they needed, but instead of being rewarded for coming all this way with the information they sought, they were greeted by a scorched and scarred room filled with ashes and wreckage. Even the door was burnt away from fire.

"The entire room… It's gone…" Lucy breathed. "Why, _why_ is this the only room in this building that's completely destroyed!?" Levy shared her disbelief.

"The town gets decimated… The larger buildings somehow survive… Yet, in the only place that seems to be untouched… _This_ happens."

"The universe just doesn't want us to have an easy time, does it…?" Lucy sighed dejectedly. "We came all this way for nothing…"

"_There's_ another day wasted…" Levy agreed. "We came to a ruined town expecting to find something that could help with our mission… And the only thing we discovered is that half of Natsu's face turns purple when he gets near a flower."

"Crap! Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed. "Levy-chan, let's forget about this place since there's nothing useful here. We need to figure out how to cure Natsu before we leave!"

"Oh, right!" Levy removed her backpack and lifted its flap. "It would be a good idea to use the rest of our time here to figure out what gets rid of an allergic reaction to the Kodora…" Not caring about the dirt, Levy plopped down on the floor and removed a green-covered book from her bag. Lucy noted the title as _1,001 Plant Species of Fiore_.

"Levy-chan, you always seem to have every book you need."

"But of course! Books are my life! Now, then…" Levy slipped on her pair of Gale-Force Reading Glasses and opened up the book. "Let's see what I can find on the Kodora."

Even at eighteen times her normal reading speed, it still took Levy minutes to come across something that was even mildly useful. "Alright… It says allergies to the Kodora flower aren't deadly by any means, which is good for Natsu. As far as I can tell, because the pollen was directly exposed to his face, he's pretty much comatose until we can give him the cure. The rash won't scar, but it'll be _extremely_ itchy for a few days."

"Sucks for Natsu, then," Lucy said. "_And_ for us. We're going to have to deal with him while he complains like a child."

"Not if he stays sleeping we won't," Levy corrected her. "But I don't think we want him to be like this for the rest of the week, so yes. We'd better prepare our ears." They shared a mutual laugh before Levy read the rest of the passage. "Looks like we'll need to find one of the Kodora flowers on our way out of here. That's the key ingredient to make the cure… Plus some of Natsu's own blood, so it'll be specific to him and only him." Lucy raised a brow.

"Uhh, I've seen Natsu get thrown around, beat down, and knocked out _plenty_ of times, and not _once_ have I ever seen him actually _bleed_. His skin's got to be as tough as _real_ dragon scales. How to you propose we take blood from him?"

"Err… I was hoping Porlyusica-san would know, because _I_ sure don't…" Levy admitted with a sorry smile. "We'd have to take him to her house anyway, since I'm no expert in medicine and I wouldn't know how to make the cure correctly."

"True…"

"We should get going." Levy closed the book and removed her glasses. As she returned them to their spots in her backpack, she said, "The best thing for Natsu at this point would be for us to get him to Porlyusica-san as quickly as possible." Lucy nodded.

"You're right. Let's get back to the boys. I'm sure Gajeel's having a _wonderful_ time looking after his fellow Dragonslayer."

* * *

"Oi, Mira!" Gray called, stepping up to the bar. "Do you have any idea where your brother is?" Mirajane stopped cleaning the glass in her hand and glanced up.

"I sent him to go pick up some watermelons… Why do you ask?" Gray was utterly confused as to why Mirajane would need watermelons, but decided it wasn't important to ask.

"We were supposed to go and train together," the ice mage answered. "You know, just to bash our fists together 'like real men do'." Mirajane giggled as Gray quoted her sibling.

"You need to find another partner because Natsu's not here to fight with you?" she voiced a suspicion. Gray stuttered in annoyance – "That is _**so**_ not it!" – But Mirajane just smiled at him. "Sorry, Gray. I don't know when Elfman will be back. Don't worry too much; I'm sure he'll be-"

"_MIRA_!" a familiar deep voice boomed. Mirajane saw a flash of white hair and tanned skin dash through the entrance of the guild.

"See, Gray? I told you-"

"Mira, get the Master! _Quickly_! It's an emergency!"

Everyone in the guild turned to Elfman, wondering what the 'man' was so worked up over. Their jaws nearly dropped from surprise. The glass that was in Mirajane's hand fell to the floor and shattered. Gray instantly tensed. Elfman glared at them all.

"_Well_!? A woman is in trouble and you sit around with slacked jaws!? What kind of men are you!? Get Makarov down here _now_!"

Several people instantly sprung to life and made a mad dash for their master's office. Gray and Mira weren't part of the crowd. They were both still frozen to where they stood. Gray choked down his silent gasps.

"No… Fucking… _Way_…"

The woman in Elfman's arms was one they all knew well; and right now, with most of her body covered in thick blood as crimson as her hair, Mirajane couldn't handle the sight. The droplets that had collected at the corners of her eyes made their way down her cheeks.

"Dear _god_…" Mirajane covered her own gasps with her hands. "What _happened_…?"

* * *

"What _took_ you guys so long!?" Gajeel boomed. Lucy and Levy winced at his volume. "I've been sitting on my ass here for who-knows-how-long waiting for you guys! I'm going _stir-crazy_ here, watching over Pinky while he sleeps!"

"It hasn't even been half an hour!" Lucy snapped.

"Besides, you usually just sit around if you're not on a mission, anyway!" Levy added. "What difference does it make!?"

"The difference is, I'm on a mission _now_, and missions are supposed to be _active_! Looking after some wimp who can't handle being smacked by a plant is anything _but_!"

"Everyone!" Happy yelled. The arguing guild mates glanced over at the blue cat irately. His tail flicked swiftly back and forth. "Let's not fuss over this, please! We still have to help Natsu, remember!?"

"Happy's right," Lucy said. "We should get back to Noburo's carriage quickly."

"This means I gotta carry Pinky again, right? Super." Gajeel tugged Natsu by his vest and hauled him over his shoulder for a second time. "Let's get this over with… Ready to fly, cat?"

"Aye!" Happy's wings sprouted at his salute. "Everyone, follow me! I'll get us out of here quickly!"

"Don't go too fast, though," Levy advised him carefully. "We still need to get one of those flowers to bring to Porlyusica-san. We're going to have to look around while we get out."

"In other words, don't lose us, cat."

"Aye!"

* * *

By the time they got from Darnacor to Onibus and back to Magnolia, night had fallen.

Gajeel was fed up with carrying Natsu around at this point. Not only was the fire-eater snoring, but walking through the town with a sleeping pink-haired teenage boy was the absolute best way to grab a passerby's attention. _Especially_ if you were another guy.

"This is embarrassing…" Gajeel muttered crossly. "And does he _always_ make these noises when he sleeps?" Natsu snoring shouldn't have even been _possible_ at this point, but seeing as it was _Natsu_, nobody questioned it. Happy sniggered at the iron-eater's humiliation.

"Hush up, the guild is right there," Levy replied, pointing in front of them. _'Bout damn time._ Gajeel had never been happier to see Fairy Tail in his life. "Is Natsu still sleeping?"

"What the hell did I _just_ say?" Gajeel snapped. "Sleeping, snoring, drooling, the works. I _thought_ he was supposed to be comatose. How does someone in a coma _snore_?"

"He's not _literally_ comatose!" Levy corrected him sharply. "Just _like_ it. I'd be more worried if he'd actually gone under like that."

"Let's just keep happy thoughts and hope we can get to Porlyusica-san early tomorrow," Lucy suggested with a faint smile. "I'm sure Natsu will be fine. For now, let's just leave him in the infirmary."

As soon as they approached Fairy Tail's doors, Gajeel kicked them open with one foot. The people who were still sitting in the main room jumped at the sudden noise. Lucy just rolled her eyes at him.

"Is Master in?" Levy called out. "We need to speak with him. It's about Natsu." Wakaba gave a low whistle from where he sat.

"Man, déjà vu…" he said. Macao nodded.

"Didn't this same thing happen just a few hours ago?"

"Yeee-up. I'll be damned it if didn't."

"I'm confused…" Happy mumbled.

"Uhh… What are you guys talking about?" Lucy asked. "What happened earlier?" Macao scratched his head.

"Well, you see…"

"Oh, Hell! What happened to Flame Brain!?" Gray shouted from the second floor. "Did he end up taking a beating _too_? And what's up with his face!?"

"No one beat him up!" Lucy snapped. "It turns out he's allergic to a type of plant that grows where we went today." Levy nodded in agreement.

"Exactly! That's why we need to see Master! We need to see if we can take Natsu to Porlyusica-san's house for treatment!"

Everyone guild member visible at the moment fell silent. For the Fairy Tail guild, this was more unusual than Natsu being silent. Levy felt herself twitch at the heavy air that suddenly overcame the guild hall.

"Err… Is something wrong?" the bluenette cautiously inquired. "Why does it feel like there's a chill in here…?"

"Porlyusica is already here," Gray answered, running a tired hand through his bangs. The mixed Team Natsu and Team Shadow Gear felt themselves looking back up at the Ice Make wizard.

"_Ehh_?" Lucy frowned. "Why is Porlyusica-san here? And at this time of night?" Gray sighed.

"Erza came back from her S-Class mission. And… It doesn't look like it went well for her."

* * *

But seriously. The only time I've ever seen a person bleed in this show was when Erza got embarrassed by Levy and threw the girl into the wall.


	6. In Health

I've decided to work on a cover for the story. Don't know when that'll get done considering I have mucho things to do before school starts in a few weeks.

To the anon who said _"I am detecting a deeper and more intricate plot." _: You are correct.

* * *

**_Chapter 6 - In Health_**

* * *

"Er-Erza is…?"

"She's… hurt?"

Gray nodded to the questions from his spot on the second floor. "Badly, too. She hasn't woken up since she arrived."

"No way!" Happy protested. "I don't believe it! Erza is the strongest girl in the guild!"

"That's why it's so serious." Gajeel regarded the Ice Make wizard with deep disbelief rooted in his crimson eyes. He'd almost completely forgotten that Natsu rested on his shoulders.

"You're telling us that someone or some_thing_ actually managed to get the best of one of Fairy Tail's top members?" he snorted. "And to top that, beat her _unconscious_?"

"She was covered in blood when Elfman carried her here," Gray explained, voice put into a harsh edge by Gajeel's tone. "He found her trying to walk to the guild while he was out on an errand for Mira. Porlyusica checked her out, though. Not all of the blood came from her. Whatever did this to her, Erza went down fighting."

"Wouldn't expect anything less from the Titania."

"… Where is she now?" Lucy asked softly.

"She's in the infirmary with Porlyusica and Mas- Hey, wait!" Lucy was already running towards the stairs with the rest of her current group in tow. Gray stood up straight, abandoning the spot on the rail he'd been leaning on. "Guys, seriously! Don't just go barging in there!"

His plea fell on deaf ears. Gray groaned.

"Idiots…"

* * *

Makarov was shocked off his spot on a bed when the infirmary door slammed open. Porlyusica just looked annoyed at the intrusion. Lucy and Levy gasped when they finally saw their friend.

"Erza!"

The Requip mage was tucked underneath the off-white sheets of one of the infirmary beds, unmoving apart from the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Her crimson hair made her a flat halo against her pillow. A mass of white bandages covered her head diagonally. A small patch of gauze was attached to her cheek, obviously hiding a smaller wound.

"Oh, _man_…" Gajeel muttered. "Ice Pants was right."

"Hmph." Porlyusica scoffed. "I don't know what that young man told you, but barging in like that on someone who needs her rest is terrible etiquette and _very_ unnecessary."

"S-Sorry, Porlyusica-san…" Levy apologized meekly.

Lucy was the only one who bothered to get closer. She cringed. Erza looked a lot worse up close. Instead of her sleeping peacefully like they thought at first, the redheaded mage's face was scrunched up in pain, as if she were suffering from a nightmare. Happy hovered over as well.

"Poor Erza…" he mumbled piteously. Lucy couldn't help but agree.

"What could've done this to someone so strong…?"

"An ambush."

The team of four turned to Makarov in surprise. The guild master faced down, an apprehensive frown on his face.

"The job request Erza took wasn't what it seemed. It was a false cry for help. It required an S-Class mage to go take care of a pack of wyverns in the north." Makarov's frown deepened. "I should have _known_ something was off when it said a _pack_ of them. Wyverns are solitary creatures that are rarely seen in numbers. It would be strange for them to be together any time but their mating season."

"So this was an attack on Fairy Tail's strongest members?" Levy asked. "That has to be why it was posted on the S-Class board!"

"No, this was aimed at only one person." Makarov faced his children with serious eyes. His brows were narrowed, which served to create more wrinkles in his skin. "Whoever sent in that false request was after Erza specifically – Or, rather, something that belonged to her."

"Wait… They just wanted to _steal_ from her!?" Levy exclaimed, justifiably horrified at the old man's words. Even Gajeel looked startled by this revelation.

"What the hell could they want so bad that they had to tear her down like this?" the Dragonslayer asked roughly.

"Her right eye."

Lucy sucked in a breath.

"Her _eye_ was stolen!?" Happy shrieked in fright. "How was someone able to _do_ that!?"

"Man. And I thought I was rough when dealing with enemies," Gajeel said offhandedly. "Even _I_ wouldn't rip someone's damned _eye_ out. Too much blood. Wouldn't wanna get that on me."

"It wasn't her _actual_ eye, Gajeel," Levy explained, voice cracking. "The real one was removed a long time ago. This one was a fake." Makarov nodded.

"That is correct."

"I still don't get why someone would want to steal her eye, though…" Lucy mumbled out loud. "I mean, what could someone _possibly_ need it for?"

"I'm afraid I wouldn't know, Lucy…"

"For now, the girl is stable," Porlyusica said in her usual stern voice. "However, it will be up to her whether or not she wishes me to create a new eye for her. She is the only one I will allow to decide that. As it stands, I don't want to do too much without her approval. In the meantime…" The pink-haired medicinal mage arched a dry brow. "What in _Earthland_ happened to _him_?"

Gajeel instantly remembered that he was still carrying Natsu. With a groan of revulsion, he unceremoniously dumped his fellow Dragonslayer onto the nearest bed, not caring if he was facedown or not.

"We were trying to find our way through the Mogari Forest, and Natsu ended up getting a face-full of pollen from the Kodora flower," Levy explained. "Turns out, he's allergic to the species."

"Why were you children in that forest to _begin_ with?"

"For a mission we took up." Levy decided to leave it off there.

"Can you help him, Porlyusica-san?" Lucy asked. Porlyusica got up from her stool beside Erza, and calmly made her way over to the bed where Natsu lay. She turned him over onto his back and inspected his face.

"Someone with a decent level of intelligence, _please_ explain: _Why_ would this idiot go to a place he knows is the home to a plant he's allergic to?"

"He didn't know," Happy said. "Natsu's never been there before today."

"And I don't think he even _knew_ he was allergic to the Kodora flower," Levy added. "Since it only grows in the Mogari Forest, he's probably never come across it in the past."

"The pixie's right," Gajeel grunted. "Pinky seemed pretty clueless before he zonked out."

_WHAM._

Levy used her backpack and slammed it into Gajeel's head as hard as she could. "I told you not to _call_ me that!" Lucy watched the scene in exasperation. _So **that's** the almighty wrath she was talking about?_

"Ow! That hurt, damn it!" Gajeel snarled, rubbing the area right above his left eye. "What do you _have_ in there?"

"Shut up, _both_ of you!" Porlyusica yelled. Instantly, the Dragonslayer and bookworm ceased their bickering and stepped apart from each other. Gajeel murmured something beneath his breath.

"Whatever… I'm outta' here." The iron-eater promptly left the room after that, shutting the door loudly in the process. He didn't particularly care what happened to Natsu so long as he got to fight him later on. Porlyusica huffed.

"Honestly… You Fairy Tail mages just don't know the meaning of the word _quiet_."

"We do, actually," Makarov said. He grinned childishly. "However, we chose to ignore it." Porlyusica's eyebrow twitched at her old friend's cheekiness.

"Fool…" she muttered. She switched her gaze back to Natsu and rested her hand on his forehead. "There's a lot of heat coming off of him, but considering what his magic is, I'm going to assume that it has nothing to do with a fever."

"What if he has a fever but it's hidden by his body temperature being above average?" Lucy asked.

"Then it's unfortunate." Porlyusica removed her hand. "I find it very odd that the boy would simply acquire an allergy to the Kodora flower. The allergic reactions that stem from its properties are specific to the residents of that torn up town, Darnacor. Has this boy ever lived there before?"

"Not that I know of…" Levy pondered. "He told us he'd been with his dragon for a long time, after Igneel found him in the woods…"

"And before that?"

"I… I just assumed that was it."

"That's a stupid assumption." Levy flinched at the blunt criticism. Porlyusica gestured to her newest patient. "He doesn't have scales, does he? A tail? Horns? He's not a dragon. He had to come from _somewhere_ – And it certainly wasn't an egg."

"You mean humans don't come from eggs too!?" Happy exclaimed, shocked by this revelation. "Then how are they born!?" Everyone in the room sweated at the question.

"I'm going to ignore that entirely," Porlyusica grunted. "If you don't know, then what about you, Makarov?"

"Where Natsu was born? I'm afraid not." Makarov raised his brows. "When he came to the guild, the only thing he told us was that he'd been training with a dragon since he was a young child. He mentioned nothing else."

"You're no help at all."

"I realize." Porlyusica bent down closer to Natsu.

"Well, I suppose I should at _least_ get these nasty things off of his face." Her wrinkled fingers began glowing, much to Lucy's surprise. Then, furthering her shock, Porlyusica proceeded to peel the lavender spots from Natsu's face, dissolving them into nothingness one by one.

"We could've just _peeled_ those off!?" the blonde cried.

"Not unless you wanted a similar rash," Porlyusica said bluntly. "As I am trained in the ways of medicine, I am capable of getting rid of these spots without giving myself an illness."

"I-I see… Wait, hang on!" Lucy pointed back at Natsu worriedly. "What's going on _now_!?" Where the spots had gotten peeled off, red blemishes began to appear. They looked a _lot_ worse than the purple blotches had been. Levy cringed in revulsion.

"Is… Is that _normal_?" she whimpered.

"Yes, it is." Porlyusica gave them a warning glance. "You'd better be prepared for some complaints from this young man. These are going to itch terribly when he awakens, and he won't be allowed to touch them. If he does, it'll take longer for them to disappear."

"W-Wait, what about the cure?" Levy checked. "I mean, there was something in my book about using the Kodora and a sample of a person's blood to counteract the symptoms…"

"Yes, but seeing as we don't have the flower here, he'll have to wait it out."

"But I _have_ the flower!" Levy reached into the side flap of her bag and pulled out the orange and white flower. It was crushed a little, but seemed useable enough. "See?"

Porlyusica stared at the flower. Then at Levy. Then back to the flower. She reached from behind and pulled her broom out of nowhere, whapping Levy on the head with it.

"_Idiot_!" the elder pinkette yelled. "Why didn't you mention it _earlier_!?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Levy cried, rubbing her sore head. "You didn't ask!"

"I didn't _expect_ you people would be smart enough to remember to get one!"

"Porlyusica-san," Lucy interrupted. "Does this mean we can't give the medicine to Natsu?" Porlyusica put her broom away, storing it in some invisible space.

"No, we can," she affirmed. "But giving it to him _before_ I peeled that rash away would have given him more immunity to it and would have healed him a lot faster. Giving it to him now will wake him up and cure him, but it'll take longer for the itch to recede and he'll still get the same reaction if he goes near the Kodora pollen again."

"Greeaaaat…" Lucy muttered. "We get to hear him complain _more_."

"Suck it up. Do you want him to get better or not?" Refusing to wait for a response, Porlyusica took the Kodora from Levy and stuffed it into one of her pockets. When her hand came back, there was a needle between her fingers. "I'm going to make a batch of the medicine anyway, in case this idiot decides to ignore his body's weaknesses and goes back to that forest again." She once again bent down closer to Natsu, and very carefully brought the needle to his lower arm. Lucy winced and turned away. As curious as she was to see Natsu actually _bleed_ for once – Seriously, what was this guy _made_ of? – She didn't feel like watching him get pricked in the arm like that. She unconsciously grabbed her own arm, as if it would make the thought go away.

Seconds later, Porlyusica pulled back away from the bed, her needle filled completely with the Dragonslayer's deep crimson blood. Happy looked squeamish.

"You need that much blood for one dose…?" he asked.

"I'm going to make him _more_ than one, cat," Porlyusica snapped. "Weren't you listening? I don't want to be called back here again unnecessarily, so I'm going to leave the other doses with Makarov. From what he's told me, this idiot tends to disregard rules and do things he sees fit. I have no doubt he'll be careless in the future and wind up like this again."

Levy looked at the old guild master skeptically. "You actually _tell_ her about the things Natsu does?" Makarov shrugged.

"What can I say? The kid's a conversation starter." Makarov looked to his female friend. "How long will it take for the medicine to be finished?"

"For it to be potent enough, it will have to sit for two hours after I've finished brewing it." Porlyusica turned to them all at once. "Since I've brought some of my instruments here for the girl, I have what I need to create the cure here instead of heading back home. However, I'd like it better if I _didn't_ have constant distractions in the background."

"Right, we can take a hint," Makarov shrugged, heading for the door. "Come, my children. Porlyusica wishes to concentrate. It's best we leave her be." Porlyusica nodded.

"Thank you."

Levy and Happy followed Makarov out of the room without a word. Lucy left at a much slower pace. It was hard to leave behind both Natsu and Erza in the infirmary. _But… I guess it's for the best._

"Porlyusica-san?" she called, turning at the doorway.

"What is it, child?"

"Please take care of them." The healing mage scoffed.

"Of course I will. I don't want to be stuck here for an even _longer_ period of time."

"R-Right…"

"… Is that all?"

"No. Also…" Porlyusica raised a brow when she saw the spirit mage bow to her. "Thank you very much!" Lucy picked herself afterwards and left, closing the door behind her softly. Porlyusica snorted.

_At least **one** of them has manners._

* * *

As it turns out, Porlyusica refused to give Natsu the allergy medication until morning. If she gave it to him now, he'd be up all night complaining and nobody would be able to get any rest. She would administer it to him in the morning when she had more strength and patience. With that, everyone was dismissed for the night. The only people who stayed behind were Makarov, Wendy, Charle, and Happy. They would be keeping watch over the two in the infirmary while Porlyusica slept in a guest room.

Lucy was hesitant to go back home, but when she realized that her rent was due the next morning anyway, she gave in and left.

"Man… Ever since I joined Fairy Tail, it seems like I'm constantly worrying…" the blonde mumbled to no one in particular. She stared at the ground as she walked along the edge of the canal. "I mean, I love it and everything, but everyone needs to stop trying to give me heart attacks!"

"Hey Blondie, watch where you're stepping!"

"Yeah, you don't wanna fall in!"

Lucy chuckled when she heard the usual voices. The same two men were always telling her to watch her step whenever she walked home.

_Everyone is so kind…_ she said inwardly. _Even Gajeel has a nice side… And Porlyusica-san may hate humans, but she always seems willing to help us…_

Thinking of Porlyusica brought Natsu back into her mind. Lucy sighed to herself. Of _course_ Natsu would be the one to hurt himself without knowing it. How could he not know he was allergic to the Kodora? A good portion of people knew _exactly_ what made them sick. It's how they stayed healthy! Lucy frowned.

"Then again… If he's never been to Darnacor before and the Mogari Forest is the only place the flower grows… I guess I can't really blame him."

This whole thing was confusing. Why was Natsu allergic to that plant at _all_? He'd never lived in that area before, much less in _Darnacor_! Probably. Maybe. Right? _Well…_

"_He's not a dragon. He had to come from **somewhere**."_

Lucy's walking pace slowed. If she really thought about it, Natsu's past was a vague topic to her. She knew he was raised by Igneel and later came to the guild, but that was about it; and from what it seemed, even Makarov didn't have a clue about where he came from.

_It's as Porlyusica-san said. Natsu didn't just hatch out of an egg. He had to have had parents at some point, otherwise he wouldn't be here today._ Were they to assume that he just appeared in the woods out of nowhere?

"_That's a stupid assumption."_

It really was.

Lucy's head was beginning to drown in the information going through her mind. She _had_ to sort everything out, otherwise nothing would make sense. Right off the bat, she listed her three biggest questions: Where was Natsu born? Why was he allergic to the Kodora flower when only the residents of Darnacor were supposed to be? Where did he live before meeting up with Igneel?

She quickly found that it was impossible to answer any of these.

It was clear that there was very little she actually knew about her best guy friend. Lucy instantly felt disheartened at this discovery. "Do I really not know him as well as I thought…?" It was an easy way to feel depressed. She moaned. "Some friend _I_ am."

"_Although it's unusual for someone not from that area to have a reaction…"_

Levy's voice interrupted her self-pity moment.

_What?_

"_The property that links the Kodora with trofaline is an unstable substance in its purest form, though, so a lot of the people in Darnacor had severe allergies to both the rock **and** the flower."_

Lucy stopped walking.

That's right. The Kodora flower and trofaline were connected. They had the same properties – As Levy said – So residents of the area were usually allergic to both the plant and the rock. And Levy, like Porlyusica, had _also_ mentioned that someone outside of Darnacor shouldn't have had an allergic reaction to them. It was nearly impossible.

"Does that mean that Natsu would be allergic to trofaline as well…?" the celestial mage pondered aloud. "I mean, it makes sense… But Natsu's never lived there!"

_Or did he?_ A cynical voice at the back of her head snorted._ You said it yourself – What do you really know about Natsu? How would you know where he did and didn't live before he arrived at Fairy Tail?_

The voice was right, Lucy swiftly came to realize. She _didn't_ know where Natsu had lived before Igneel came across him. Who's to say he _hadn't_ lived in Darnacor at some point? He could've been _born_ there, for all she knew!

_Rose-colored hair… Dark gray eyes… Allergic to trofaline and the Kodora… Around eighteen years old, if not that exact age…_

Lucy's mind painted a picture in her head based on those facts. To her surprise, she came up with two figures instead of just a single individual. Natsu was one of them, of course.

The other was Irien Isdona.

Lucy didn't know whether she should stand there shocked or smack herself silly. Was she _seriously_ considering the possibility that they were connected? Natsu and Irien were physically alike in many ways, she supposed; but they were two entirely different people. Strangers looking similar to each other wasn't unheard of, after all.

"Oh, wow. I _really_ need to get some rest…" she muttered to herself. "That's some tangent I went off on… I'm starting to over-think things too much."

She decided it was best to quit coming up with ideas this late at night. For now, she was going to crawl into bed, wish Natsu and Erza the best, and get some well-deserved sleep. She'd wake up the next morning and give her rent to her landlady, and then head back to the guild to see if Erza had woken up yet. She'd try to avoid Natsu's complaints as much as possible while getting her mission work done with Levy – And Gajeel too, possibly.

She'd have to bug Reedus, as well. It had been _days_ now. What in the world was he doing with that sketch she and Levy had asked for? Hadn't he said he'd do it after he was done with his other portrait? Lucy sighed. _Just another thing on my to-do list…_

She was going to have one busy day tomorrow, that's for sure.

* * *

Okay, so this one is actually normal length, due to the fact that the scene at the end with Lucy was supposed to be the beginning of chapter seven. There's still going to be two more shorties after this.


	7. Double

Sorry guys, but this might be the last update until the weekend. I wanna work on my art, my college applications (Holy shiz, I'm a senior), and my own original work that I've got on FictionPress. Especially that last one. I've been neglecting it for a week and a half now.

I know you guys can survive a few days without an alert from me. I promise, I'll be back to my normal speedy schedule. For now, enjoy!

* * *

**_Chapter 7 - Double_**

* * *

When Lucy arrived at the guild the next morning, the first thing she heard was the sound of Natsu yelling.

"_What the hell is going on here!? Why does my face hurt!? OH GOD, WHAT AM I TOUCHING-!? OWW!_"

The blonde cringed at the noise. The complaining had begun.

"Just wait until he learns that he's not allowed to go on missions until that stuff goes away," she heard Macao snigger from across the room. "Poor kid's gonna go stir-crazy just sitting in there all day."

"Feh. Now he'll know how it feels…" Gajeel muttered.

"Get over it," Levy said, suddenly catching her best friend out of the corner of her eye. She waved. "Ah, Lu-chan! Over here!" Lucy smiled and walked over.

"Hey Levy-chan!" she greeted. "Is Natsu enjoying his time awake?" Levy chuckled.

"Porlyusica-san _just_ gave him the medicine," she explained. "I'm pretty sure the red blotches on his face were a sure way to give him a rude wake-up call."

"I can imagine… How about Erza? Has she woken up yet?" Levy's face lost its humor. She frowned, hazel eyes downcast.

"No… She's still asleep. She seems to have gotten better from what Porlyusica-san was saying, but she doesn't know what's going to happen to Erza."

"I see…" Lucy's facial expression matched her friend's. It's true that she was worried about Natsu, but now that the Fire Dragonslayer had awoken and was healing, she could focus on her female teammate.

The Celestial Spirit mage was going to have _words_ with whoever put Erza in that state. They'd have to get a new face painted on when _she_ was done with them!

_Painted… Paint… Artist._

"… Oh, that's right!" Lucy suddenly remembered an item from her mental agenda. "Levy-chan, do you know where Reedus is?"

"I wish…" Levy muttered grumpily. "How long does it take to do one _sketch_? It's not like we asked him for a full-blown portrait – And even _then_ he doesn't take this long!"

"You're the one who admitted you're not an artist," Gajeel said. "How would you know how difficult it is to age a person physically in a drawing?" Levy stuck her tongue out at him. The iron-eater ignored it, and drummed his fingers on the table. "But you do have a point. He's taking his sweet time with this, isn't he? You think he flaked out?"

"Reedus wouldn't do that," Levy insisted. "I'm sure he'll have an explanation."

"Hey, Reedus! Coming in late today?"

The three immediately snapped their attention to the front of the guild hall. Reedus noticed this, and paled. Faster than he could hide behind a pillar, Lucy and Levy were in his face with determination plastered over theirs.

"_Reeduuus_…"

"Remember that drawing you promised?"

"I-I- Yes…" the artist stuttered nervously, pulling his hat down over his eyes. "I-I'm… Umm… How should I put this…"

"Better answer quick," Gajeel snorted, walking up behind the girls. "I want to hurry and get this mission over with already, and you delaying us is preventing that."

"I-I'm sorry." Reedus twiddled his thumbs. "I-It's just…"

"Just what?"

"I-If I showed you what I've done… You… You might think I wasn't being serious."

"Reedus, to be honest, it doesn't seem like you're being serious right _now_, either," Lucy said flatly.

"But does that mean you're done?" Levy asked. Reedus nodded. The bluenette smiled. "That's great! Can we see it?"

"Umm…" Reedus looked around the guild hall. "I… You'll have to come back to my apartment to see it. I don't have it with me."

"Wonderful," Gajeel grunted irritably. "_More_ delays."

* * *

Reedus's apartment was exactly like how Lucy imagined it'd be: Cozy, artsy, and filled with canvases and pictures that he's done in the past. She was a little envious of how it was bigger than her own, but she swallowed her jealousy quickly enough.

"Reedus, you never cease to amaze me," the celestial mage said, staring at one picture hanging on the wall in particular. It portrayed Happy and Charle as human children with cat ears. Happy was giving Charle flowers, and she was doing her best to ignore him. Lucy smiled. "You do some amazing art."

"_I'll_ say," Levy chirped in agreement, checking out a picture of Magnolia's landscape at sunset. Reedus's flushed with pride.

"Y-You really think so?"

"Eh. I suppose it ain't bad…" Gajeel muttered. "Are you gonna give us that sketch or not?"

"Oh, r-right. Pardon my rudeness…" Reedus mumbled. "I'll just be a moment…" Reedus left the room to go fetch what he'd brought them here for in the first place. Lucy sat on a nearby chair, still gazing around the living room in wonder.

"I wonder why Reedus didn't want to give us the picture he'd made of Irien," she wondered. "I think if he could draw cats as humans he could certainly age someone a few years…"

"Maybe he's just scared that it won't be good enough for us?" Levy suggested. "Although, I can't imagine we'll be disappointed."

"Paranoid artist," Gajeel scoffed.

"Stop calling him names, Gajeel."

"Why?"

"It's rude, obviously."

"It's quite alright, Levy." Reedus stepped back into the room, carrying some papers underneath his arm. "It's just the way Gajeel talks."

"See? He accepts the way I am."

"Shut up, Gajeel."

"Is the drawing somewhere in there?" Lucy asked, pointing to the papers in question. Reedus shuffled through them rapidly before pulling one out.

"These are all the attempts I've made to create a likeness of the boy for you, but this is the one I suggest you use," he said. Lucy took the drawing from Reedus and looked it over. Levy and Gajeel did too, from over her shoulder.

Reedus didn't do bad at all. Irien sat there on the paper, eighteen-years-old and a handsome young man. Just like as he appeared as a child, as an adult he also mimicked both of his parents perfectly in appearance.

"Aww, he's cute," Lucy beamed. "Makes me want to find him faster."

"Oh, Lu-chan… You want a boyfriend _so_ badly." Levy sighed good-naturedly. Lucy stuck her tongue out at her. The bluenette just laughed and squinted at the paper in her friend's hand. "Though I have to agree. He _is_ a cutie, with those cheekbones and his hair combed down like that. It covers his eyes a bit, but _I'm_ not complaining."

"I thought his hair would be best down and curled up at the ends," Reedus admitted. "Despite the fact that his mother's hair obviously sticks up, I think adding a little bit of his father to that area was a good idea."

"It really _was_, Reedus!" Lucy gave him a thumbs-up. "He turned out _great_!" Gajeel snorted at this.

"He's _okay_…" he muttered. After all, he was _much_ better looking that the brat was. Giving the portrait a second glance, the Dragonslayer raised a studded brow. "… Hey. Is it just me, or does he look familiar?" Lucy tilted the drawing a bit. She and Levy did the same with their heads.

"Not really, Gajeel," Levy disagreed.

"Yeah. Why do you ask-? Hey!" Lucy shouted when Gajeel took the piece of paper from her. He inspected it further, his eyes tracing along each of Irien's drawn features.

"Is… Is something wrong, Gajeel?" Reedus checked, afraid that the iron man would find something wrong with his work.

"Hey, Picto Boy. You got any pictures of him with his hair up?" Reedus suddenly seemed even more nervous once Gajeel asked him that.

"W-With his hair _up_…?" Gajeel nodded.

"Yeah. Like his mom's. He had spiky hair in the photos we gave you, right?"

"Th-That's true, but-!"

"Hand 'em over!" Without giving the artist any time to come up with a rebuttal, the Dragonslayer grabbed the rest of the papers and began flipping through them. When he didn't find one that satisfied him, he tossed it away.

"For god's sake, Gajeel!" Levy protested, trying to catch all the sketches floating in the air. "What are you _doing_!?"

"Seriously!" Lucy was now standing, also attempting to keep the papers from being ruined. "You are so _rude_!"

"Found it." Lucy and Levy stared at Gajeel in confusion.

"Eh?"

"Found what?" Gajeel scoffed.

"I _knew_ there was a reason Picto Boy here didn't want to show us what he'd drawn; and I just found it." The iron-eater turned the paper in his hand around, showing his teammates his targeted sketch. The girls shared a collective gasp while Reedus looked to the floor nervously.

The version of Irien on the paper was an exact likeness of their fire-breathing friend.

"_Natsu_!?"

* * *

In Fairy Tail's infirmary, Natsu sneezed loudly and aggressively.

"Damn it, what was _in_ that medicine!?" he yelled at Porlyusica. "I think it's just making me sicker!" The woman huffed.

"I highly doubt that," she calmly snapped. "One sneeze does not account for illness. It merely means something was irritating your nose."

"Maybe someone's talking about you, Natsu!" Happy piped up from his stool. Natsu snorted.

"I don't believe in superstitions like that."

"You certainly do enough stupid and reckless things for people to be talking about you," Porlyusica said. Natsu glared at her.

"_What_ was that!?"

"Now, be quiet.. The angrier you get, the more those blemishes will itch."

"I don't think it's _possible_ for them to be more annoying than they are now!"

"Then just shut up because I'm telling you to."

"Yeah, you're disturbing the peace, Natsu!"

"I… hate… both of you…"

* * *

Back at Reedus's apartment, the girls were still staring at the picture in shock.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Levy breathed. "We're looking for a _Natsu look-alike_?"

"N-Not necessarily!" Reedus tried to say. "That's only _one_ of the sketches-"

"But it doesn't change the fact that at least _one_ of these drawings shows Irien as a Natsu doppelganger!"

"Am I right?" Gajeel interrupted dryly. "This is the reason you didn't want to show us what you'd done?" Reedus nodded slowly.

"I-I'm sorry…" he apologized meekly. "I thought that if you had seen that first attempt… You guys might've thought I was joking around."

"This was your _first_ attempt?" Levy checked, her voice clearly portraying her amazement. "That's why you did the others?"

"Y-Yes. I wanted to find a likeness for the boy that was close enough to that attempt, but not obviously a clone of Natsu…"

Lucy said nothing. Her brown eyes were locked onto the drawing in Gajeel's hands. She couldn't believe it. She'd known the kid looked a tiny bit like Natsu – Hell, other people had makes jokes about it! – But looking at Reedus's work, she was actually frightened.

If this was really what Irien would've looked like at their age, then this was scary as heck. Not only did the boy share Natsu's pink hair, but also his jaw line, his cheekbones, his nose, not to mention the slanted contour of his eyes … Everything seemed to fit in place.

Lucy's thoughts from the previous night came back from the corner of her mind. Her nervousness came back on full blast. _Oh, gods. I think I'm even more paranoid than I thought._ That idea just wouldn't leave her alone!

"Lu-chan? Lu-chan!"

Levy's voice brought her back. Lucy tore her eyes away from the paper and stood up straight. "Huh? What?" Levy put her hands on her hips, and raised a blue brow.

"What's wrong with you? You were staring at that drawing pretty intensely…" A cheshire smirk crossed her features. "Could it be you're just embarrassed that you unknowingly admitted that Natsu's cute?"

"Levy-chan!" the blonde shrieked in embarrassment. "You know, _you_ said the same thing I did!"

"Yeah, so?" Levy shrugged. "I have no problem admitting Natsu's cute. I know he is, the rest of the girls know too. _You're_ the only one who seems to want to deny that fact."

"I am not!"

"Wait, you think that idiot Pinky is _cute_!?"

"Aww, are you _jealous_, Gajeel?"

"Of course not! I'm just questioning your taste in men!"

"Yeah, so am I at this point…"

"What was that?"

"N-Nothing!"

"Umm… Do you guys need anything else?" Reedus asked, single-handedly splitting up the three-way argument. Lucy and Levy blushed from embarrassment.

"Oh, pardon us, Reedus!" Levy cried.

"Y-Yeah! We forgot we were still in your house for a moment!"

"It's alright, you two… But really, is there anything else you need?" Reedus pointed to the papers in their hands. "Would you like to take those with you? You can use more than one if you want… It could only help."

"Thank you, Reedus." Levy bowed to the artist kindly. "Lu-chan will be the one to take these." Lucy looked at Levy as if she had turned purple.

"E-Excuse me…?"

"Well, you're the one making the profile for Irien, right? It'd be better for you to have them."

"O-Oh, right."

"Lu-chan, why are you stuttering like Reedus?"

"Sh-Shut up, Levy-chan…"

* * *

_What am I going to **do**?_

Lucy felt like banging her head on her desk. She'd been given all of Reedus's sketches – Plus the photos he'd used to create them – But there was only one she could focus on. And by that, she meant she couldn't stop staring at it.

Seriously. Why did she have to torture herself with these thoughts? It wasn't that big a deal, was it? So Irien would grow up to be a duplicate of Natsu. Nothing wrong with that.

_Oh, no. There is __**certainly**__ nothing wrong with __**that**__,_ the voice at the back of her mind said wryly. Lucy ignored it.

"Ugh. Calm yourself, Luce," she muttered to herself, unconsciously using Natsu's nickname for her. _Am I seriously thinking that Natsu has some connection to Irien?_ Now, _that_ was a question she could answer. "I think I've lost my mind. Just because they have similar eyes and hair and faces and… And…"

And smile.

No matter how she pictured it, no matter how hard she tried to see that smile as Irien's, it was impossible. That smile belonged to one person, and no one else.

Oh, dear god, _why_ did Reedus have to draw him smiling? It wasn't making this any easier on her!

Her forehead met her desk.

"Get a _grip_, Lucy…" she mumbled, picking herself up slowly. "There's no way it's true… It's just not _probable_. I mean, what are the _chances_ that Irien and Natsu are connected somehow?" _Connected… Right._ She knew she was delaying the inevitable conclusion. Somewhere, in the deeper recesses of her mind, she knew exactly what deduction she had come up with. Only now, the idea was beginning to bubble up from the back of her head.

_But it's just not __**possible**__!_ Lucy fretted inwardly. _Someone step up and tell me I'm imagining things! __**Please**__! I mean, there's no __**way**__ Natsu and Irien could be the same person! … Right…?_ The more she kept telling herself that, the more likely it seemed that her drawn conclusion had been correct.

She pushed herself away from her desk and stood up. This was going to _kill_ her until she spoke to Natsu.

* * *

Reedus may be the paranoid artist, but I'm the paranoid writer trying to keep the paranoid artist in-character!

(I feel the need to mention that the sketches Reedus did are just bust/head shot sketches, not full-body profiles.)

Alright,, I'm leaving you guys off there. Have fun trying to figure out my thought pattern while I'm gone


	8. Sol of Discord

Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry for the break. I didn't get to finish the cover (Got through the lineart), but I did get to work on my original publication and that makes me happy.

And now I'm back! Huzzah!

This is my longest chapter thus far, and one of my favorites. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

* * *

**_Chapter 8 - Sol of Discord_**

* * *

"Yup, I'm nuts," Lucy muttered as she walked into the guild hall for a second time that day. "Completely, totally, utterly nuts."

She was, without a doubt, the only person who was going to be near Natsu _willingly_ while he was like this. For the sake of her sanity, though, she'd have to go in and ask the Dragonslayer about things. She was going to go mental if she didn't get an answer to her question. Yet, for all it's worth, she was nervous.

What the heck was she supposed to do if by some crazy chance she was _right_? If Natsu _was_ Irien… What was she supposed to tell Cobalt and Ervana? How would she explain that to Natsu? Would he even _care_?

_Oh, god._ She had been sitting in her room for three hours just trying to sort out her thoughts, and she _still_ had no clue what to do. _Get it together, Lucy! Quit acting like a nervous idiot._

She made her way down the hall to the infirmary, bumping into Happy shortly. Surprisingly, the cat was leaving the room instead of entering.

"Happy? What's up?" Lucy asked. "I thought you wanted to stay with Natsu."

"Yeah, but he was in a bad mood and all grumpy," Happy mumbled. "I think it was because Porlyusica slaps him upside the head every time he tries to scratch himself."

"That's probably it…" Lucy shifted her standing position. "And Erza…?" Happy shook his head dejectedly. That was all the answer the blonde needed. "Right…"

"Are you gonna go check up on them?"

"I don't really have another reason to be in this hallway now, do I?"

"I don't know. You're always kind of a weirdo, Lucy."

"Stupid cat." Happy just laughed and walked off smirking. Lucy huffed. "I'm going to kick him out a window someday…" She wasn't about to let Happy's comments bother her for long. She had other things to do than be angry with a talking cat.

She hovered outside the infirmary's door for minutes, trying to think of an approach. Would it be more beneficial to go right up to Natsu and ask him straight out where he was born? Or should she ease into it? For many things, direct worked best with Natsu because he was dense and understood nothing but fighting. Over this… She wasn't sure.

If she stood her any longer, she'd lose her resolve. She grabbed the doorknob, and turned it slowly. _Well, I'll see how it goes._

She opened the door, and was immediately welcomed by the sight of a pouting Natsu with a large knot on the top of his head.

"Uhh… Hi, Natsu," Lucy greeted him slowly, stepping away from the entrance. "Where'd you get that bump?"

"Ask the old witch," the fire-eater grunted. Lucy wanted to, but as far as she could see, the elder pinkette was nowhere in sight. Natsu folded his arms. "Well, she ain't here right _now_… Gramps wanted to speak to her in private, so they went to his office."

"I see…" Lucy took up the seat beside his bed, glancing over at her other teammate. "How's Erza doing?" Natsu's face softened ever so slightly.

"She doesn't look like she's in that much pain," he mumbled. "But she hasn't moved." His sympathetic expression was gone, and replaced with a look of pure, unadulterated anger. He punched his palm in determination. "As soon as that witch lets me go, I'm gonna find out who did this to Erza and make him _**pay**_."

"You can be sure I'll help with that," Lucy said, voice just as stern. "You'll need all the help you can get, if this person can do this to Erza the Titania. Plus, the guy deserves as much retribution as possible. I want to kick his ass _good_ – And maybe beat his face in with a certain Ice Hammer while I'm at it." Natsu stared at his teammate in surprise, and then promptly burst out laughing. The celestial mage's face turned pink. "Hey! What's so funny!?"

"_Wow_, Luce!" he cried in between laughs. "I've- I've never heard you say _that_ before!" Lucy frowned.

"Say _what_, exactly? Stop laughing and tell me!" It took Natsu minutes before he could calm down and speak without losing his breath. He grinned and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"I've never seen you angry enough to want to beat a person's face in with a hammer," he explained. "I found it funny. Man, to hear you actually speak like that… It's kind of scary, but I like it with you get all fired up like that!"

If Levy was here, she would've been making fun of Lucy's red face.

Lucy fidgeted, playing with the ends of her skirt timidly. _What the heck is wrong with me? I should __**not**__ be getting nervous over that. Ugh, I'm letting Levy-chan's teasing go to my head._

"I'm… I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not," she murmured. Time to steer away from this topic. "But anyway. How long until those blemishes go away?"

"The old witch said two or three days, depending on if I scratch or not." Natsu grimaced. "And let me tell you… It's _really_ hard not to scratch at these things." Lucy chuckled. She could almost see how his body was twitching from the stress.

"Well, just think of it this way. If you scratch them, it'll be an even longer amount of time before you can go find Erza's attacker and kick his butt."

"I guess…" Natsu leaned back on his pillow. "Oh, yeah. By the way, why'd you come here anyway?"

"To see how you and Erza were doing, stupid," Lucy huffed. "I was just a little worried since you shouldn't even _have_ a rash like that."

"So I've been told." Natsu snorted. "Bad luck, I guess."

Lucy instantly found her opening.

"Well, you never know…" she began, taking on a light tone of voice. "Maybe you lived near Darnacor at some point. Maybe with your parents?" Natsu shook his head.

"Igneel and I never lived there. I would've remembered. Besides, dragons never live near humans."

"That's… Not what I meant, Natsu." Lucy began to fidget even more. She prayed that her friend would be too dense to notice. "I meant your _human_ parents. Your family." This time, Natsu gave her an odd look.

"What are you talking about?" he asked flatly. "The only parent I've ever had was Igneel. Along with Fairy Tail and Happy, he's the only family I've needed." Lucy shared his bemused expression.

"You don't remember? Come on, Natsu. You _had_ to have had other parents at some point. You wouldn't be alive otherwise. Do you think you just appeared as an egg somewhere in a forest?"

"You mean humans _don't_ come from eggs!?" Natsu exclaimed, nearly jumping from his spot on the bed. His confused shouting was reminiscent of Happy's from earlier. "Then how are made!?" Lucy smacked her forehead in embarrassment. The flying blue cat had an excuse, but how could Natsu not be educated enough to know that process? Hadn't Igneel taught him more than just fire magic!?

_Then again,_ she thought. _I wouldn't want to tell __**my**__ child about something like that, either. Not until he or she was old enough._

"Oh, _boy_. Natsu, I am _not_ explaining that to you…" she muttered. This conversation was becoming very exasperating very quickly. "But trust me. Humans do _not_ come from eggs." Natsu scratched his head in wonder.

"Huh… Then I don't have a clue." The Dragonslayer shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't remember anything but Igneel finding me. Guess my real parents weren't that important, or I would've remembered 'em, right?"

"… Do you have any idea how blatantly cold-hearted that sounded just now?"

"Not really. Hey, are you absolutely _positive_ that I didn't come from an egg…?"

"For the _love_ of-!"

"Lu-chan?"

Lucy and Natsu turned to the infirmary's entrance. Levy was standing there with an envelope in her hands. It didn't escape the blonde's notice that the envelope had the Magic Council's seal on it.

"What's with the letter, Levy-chan?" she asked.

"It's the reply from the council. You know, about getting an audience with the members of Discord Palette that are in custody?"

"What did the letter say?"

"That they would only grant us a meeting with one of the members. Oh, and that tomorrow's the date we're supposed to go."

"_What_!?"

Natsu's ears started ringing from the sheer volume Lucy had shrieked at. Lucy was too busy panicking to notice.

"Why did we only get that _today_!?" she cried. Levy groaned.

"The master got it two days ago, apparently. He just forgot to give it to us." Levy stuffed the envelope into her pocket. "It'll take us the whole rest of the day to get to Era. We'd better get going if we don't want to lose sunlight. Gajeel's already waiting for us."

"Ugh. Way to rush me…" Lucy stood up and patted Natsu on the head. "Sorry, Natsu. Mission duties call."

"Eh, whatever. We'll just talk later." Natsu shrugged, swatting her hand away. "And don't pet me like that. I ain't a dog."

"What? Should I kiss you on the cheek like a little kid instead?" Levy held back a snicker at Lucy's words. Natsu blinked.

"Why would I want that?"

"Right, right. Never mind." Lucy waved good-bye to her rosette team member once more before leaving the room with Levy.

* * *

Lucy thought that the walk to the train station would be quiet, since she and Levy were in a hurry. She thought that since they grabbed a bite to eat, their mouths would be too full to talk.

Nope. Not at all.

"Sooo, Lu-chan…" Levy shot the blonde a suggestive smirk. Lucy sipped at her water indifferently, acting as if she _hadn't_ heard the tone her bluenette friend was using. She was going to take that tease of Natsu earlier and turn it into some joke, wasn't she?

"What is it, Levy-chan…?" she asked. Levy elbowed her playfully as they walked.

"Natsu likes it when you get fired up, eh?"

The spit take Lucy did after hearing that could've rivaled one of Juvia's water spells.

"Wh-Wh-_Where_ did you hear…?"

"I was outside the infirmary the entire time," Levy admitted with a smile. "Master had given me the letter and sent me off, since he had to speak with Porlyusica-san. I was _going_ to get you earlier than I did, but I heard some… _interesting_ things, so I decided to eavesdrop." Lucy's face flushed.

"You _heard_ that…?"

"Among other things." Levy's smile faded to a concerned frown. "I also heard you talking with Natsu about his parents."

Oh, crap.

"Th-That was just… You know, I was curious!" Lucy laughed nervously. She did _not_ want her friend to know that she was investigating Natsu without him knowing. "After all, he shouldn't have had a reaction like that to a flower, right?"

"… Lu-chan, you're easy to read when you're worked up." Levy eyed her curiously. "You're not thinking that _Natsu_ is Irien, are you?"

"Wh-What? No! Of _course_ not! That would be stupid, you know? Hahaha…" She obviously didn't fool Levy in the slightest. The Solid Script mage raised a skeptical brow at her. Lucy sighed heavily. "Okay, fine. I _admit_ it. '_I think Natsu Dragneel is Irien Isdona_.' Happy? I'm not one hundred percent sure, but still." Lucy fiddled with her water bottle. "The thought's been bugging me since last night. When I was walking on my way home, I got to thinking, and… … I can be dangerous when I think, sometimes."

"You're right about that."

"But _seriously_!" Lucy shouted. She was getting herself worked up again. "They're so _similar_! Their hair and eye color, their allergies, their age… Not to mention that Irien was supposedly immune to lightning and Natsu's never been fatally affected by it before, not even when fighting Laxus… And then there's that drawing Reedus did… I'm not nuts, am I?"

They walked in silence together for the next two minutes. Levy was busy thinking over what Lucy had said, and the Celestial Spirit mage was busy inwardly fussing over having admitted her private thoughts to her temporary teammate.

"I don't think you're nuts, Lu-chan," Levy said finally. "What you're saying makes sense." The blonde's eyes widened in surprise. Whatever Lucy had been expecting Levy to say, it sure as heck wasn't _that_.

"A-Are you _serious_, Levy-chan…?" Levy shrugged.

"I guess it was stupid of me to not reach the same conclusion as you in a shorter period of time… But before we go jumping off of cliffs, we have to take one thing into consideration. There's no _proof_." Levy folded her arms. "I mean, with the information we have so far, it should be common sense… But unless we have undeniable evidence, unless all of their information matches up perfectly… There's no way we can say Natsu is Irien. All the pieces have to fit together first."

Something in Levy's tone made Lucy hopeful.

"Levy-chan… Are you saying you'll help me figure this out?"

"Maybe… Let's just see how the meeting with the Discord Palette member goes. Come on, we've only got a block left before we get to the train station and Gajeel."

* * *

Gajeel wasn't very happy with the fact that they wouldn't get to Era until tomorrow afternoon. That being said, he didn't appear to be as motion sick as he usually was.

"We have to sit on this god-forsaken train for a _whole fucking_ _**day**_!?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Levy took a bite out of the sandwich she had saved. "It would be impossible to get to Era on time unless we took one straight ride there. We're supposed to meet with the Discord Palette member at noon. Come on, at least the meals are free." Gajeel glared at her.

"Do we even know who the member is?" Lucy asked.

"I think the letter mentioned that his name was Sol Apyscos." Levy stroked her chin. "If I remember correctly, he was one of Discord Palette's S-Class mages. He took part in the raid thoroughly – He is supposedly responsible for sixty percent of the deaths at Darnacor that day."

"_Sixty_!?" Lucy screamed in shock. That was such a high percentage! A _single man_ was responsible for _that_ many people dead? The Celestial Spirit mage felt sick to her stomach. Maybe they should reconsider going to see this man.

"We don't even get to meet with the guild's _master_?" Gajeel grumbled, not at all concerned with the number of people killed by one man. "What kind of crap is that?"

"The guild master committed suicide years ago," Levy explained bluntly. "Not only that, but his body disappeared. I don't think an audience with him is possible."

"Feh."

"Also, Gajeel…" Levy prodded him in the arm. "How possible do you think it is for Natsu to be the boy we're looking for?" Gajeel raised a studded brow. Lucy paled.

"_Levy-chan_! Why are you telling him about that!?" Levy looked at her as if her reason was a no-brainer.

"You want to keep Gajeel in the dark? He's our teammate too! He should know what we're doing!"

"What exactly _are_ you two doing?" Gajeel asked beneath his breath, wiping some sweat from his forehead.

"Lu-chan thinks that Natsu might actually be Cobalt-san and Ervana-san's son, Irien," Levy continued. "We're going to try and investigate that as much as possible. Y'know, without Natsu finding out… unless we're right. In which case we're going to tell him." _When did she decide __**that**__!? _Lucy panicked in her head. Gajeel was silent while he thought about this.

"… Likely." Levy and Lucy looked at the iron-eater in confusion. He shifted in his seat. "My answer? I think it's likely. Pinky smells about the same as the kid's cat. I knew that from the first time I saw him after coming back from Altivian City." He shrugged. "Didn't think it meant anything until you brought up that up just now."

"See, Lu-chan?" Levy smiled. "You're not nuts. Gajeel thinks it's possible, too."

"Either that or all three of us are out of our minds," Lucy replied dryly. "But I'd prefer not to think that way."

"Good luck with whatever acts of insanity you're planning on doing…" Gajeel muttered. "Now leave me alone."

"You sick already?"

"_Shut up_!"

* * *

The welcoming the trio got was not a warm one. Granted, it wasn't like they weren't expected, but since they were from the guild that caused the most trouble and the most damage, to say that they were welcomed with open arms was… a bit of a stretch.

The guards led them to a closed off hallway, where an old man with a long beard and pointed ears was standing silently.

"Fairy Tail wretches, this is Org-sama," the guard introduced them. "He will be escorting you to the cell of Sol Apyscos. Kneel before him, and be grateful he's even giving you this chance!" Org greeted them with a single bow of his head, and then dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand.

"The kneeling is not necessary," the sage said. His voice was stern, but held an air of fairness to it that Lucy could respect. Gajeel snorted. As _if_ they were planning on kneeling, anyway. "Pardon Nadal's behavior. Like other council, he believes that your guild is nothing more than a colossal nuisance that should be disbanded as soon as possible." Levy flinched at the criticism.

"And, what? You _don't_ share that view?" Gajeel grunted. Org sighed, and turned to face the entrance to the hall.

"After what's happened with the Tower of Heaven and the Oración Seis… I'm inclined to believe that your guild is much more than it appears." He motioned for the younger wizards to follow. "Come with me. I shall lead you to the man you wish to speak with."

The hallway leading to Sol's cell was a dark and quiet one, lit only by the torches on the wall. It wasn't doing anything to calm Lucy's nerves.

"Umm… Couldn't you guys afford some windows?" she asked half-heartedly, trying to lighten the atmosphere with a joke. Her attempt failed.

"Much like his name affirms, the majority of Sol's power comes from the sun," Org answered without looking behind him. "We must keep him in total darkness; otherwise he will surely break out and cause havoc again." Lucy let out an 'Eep!' of surprise.

"S-Sorry I asked…!" She decided not to speak anymore until they reached their destination.

It seemed like forever had passed since Lucy had seen any natural light. She knew it had only been a few minutes, but she was already missing the time she spent basking in the sun. Words could not describe how happy she was when they finally reached the cell they needed to.

Well, 'happy' may have been the incorrect term. 'Relieved' was more fitting – Even if the sadistic grin on Sol's face was anything but.

"So these are the brave souls who decided to come and witness my greatness," the blonde man sneered. His hair was streaked with red and orange highlights, and his eyes were a cold shade of amber. Scars adorned his cheeks, giving Lucy a brief case of the shivers with his appearance. He looked just as insane as he probably was.

"For your information, tough guy," Gajeel began sarcastically. "You're not looking so great at the moment." Sol just chuckled darkly.

"I suppose I'm not…" he replied in an eerily calm voice. "I sense a high level of arrogance coming from you, boy. With such a pitiful level of magical energy, I wonder how you are able to boast." Gajeel's fist quickly clenched and turned to iron.

"You wanna go, asshole!?"

"Gajeel, stop it!" Levy used both of her hands to try and pull Gajeel's arm back down to his side. "Don't listen to him! He's just trying to provoke you!"

"Can you blame me, really?" Sol shrugged. He kept his icy eyes on Gajeel. "Your pride rolls off you in _waves_. It's too easy to cajole you into a fight. You should work on that if you ever plan on becoming an S-Class mage like me." Gajeel snarled at the man once more, only to be stopped by Levy's piercing glare.

"We didn't come here so you could waste our time," the Solid Script mage argued gently. "You can take your anger out on something when we leave, but not before." The Dragonslayer's hand slowly turned back into skin. Gajeel folded his arms and grunted, saying no more. Levy sighed in relief, and then refocused her attention to Sol. He eyed her with a smirk.

"So this is the beauty that controls the beast…" he laughed to himself. "To what do I owe the pleasure of such a lovely girl's visit?" Gajeel was seething silently at the way the man spoke, but luckily for him, nobody noticed. Levy's knuckles whitened at her sides.

"Sol Apyscos."

"If you came down here simply to confirm my name, you've wasted your time." Sol raised a brow. "However, you look like a smart young lady, so I'm assuming there's another motive behind this call."

"Darnacor," Levy said simply. "I take it you remember that day? When Discord Palette raided that innocent trade town and killed dozens?"

"I always remember the things I'm most proud of," the highlighted man cackled loudly. "I can still hear the screams coming from the women and children I slaughtered that day. Their faces are well-ingrained in my memory. Wretches, all of them. Such pitiful lives. They deserved to die." Lucy's shivers returned. She was right. This guy _was_ insane. Levy felt her anger spike at the way the celled man spoke, but wisely kept her poker face straight.

"Then I suppose you'll have no trouble remembering one of those faces for us?" She kept her snarl well hidden. "A small boy, maybe four at the time. One of your guild members snatched him from his parents as they were evacuated. His name was Irien." Sol snorted.

"Names mean nothing to me. Be more specific with appearances. I killed a lot of little boys that day. There was an orphanage in that town, remember?"

"I do." Levy's lip quivered as she tried not to cry. Lucy knew the reason for her best friend's unshed tears, and she herself was trying not to cringe from Sol's words. How could one man cause so much harm and not care? Levy swallowed back her emotions, finding her breath again. "The boy had pink hair that stood up in all directions. He would've been weak magic-wise, according to his parents."

"A pink-haired mage boy, eh?" Sol stroked the blonde stubble on his chin. "So his name was Irien. Feh. What an utterly ludicrous name. No wizard parents in the right mind would give a lightning child a name that means '_peace'_."

"You _do_ remember him," Lucy noted. Sol folded his arms.

"Yeah, sort of. Hard to forget such a stupid hair color and such a weakling child." He tapped his fingers on his upper biceps in thought. "I bet if Koda had known the kid couldn't use his own magic, he wouldn't have grabbed him in the first place."

"Tell us," Levy insisted. "What did you do with that boy? Did you kill him?"

"Me? Nah. By the time we got the kid back to our underground hideout, I'd already had my fun. I figured it was time to let someone else have a go."

"So you _did_ take him with you."

"Yeah. Figured we could brainwash the kid into being one of us when he grew up. A lightning user is always a good thing to have in the guild. It's a very powerful brand of magic."

"We know," the Fairy Tail mages answered at once. They knew from experience just _how_ powerful lightning could be. Sol looked surprised at their unified answer, but didn't question it.

"Koda had another S-Class mage examine the kid and make sure he was fit for combat practice. Guess he didn't count on learning that the supposed lightning user's magic abilities were so weak that he couldn't even _create_ lightning. Koda was pissed."

"And Koda would be…?"

"Our guild master. You know… The one who committed suicide so he wouldn't have to sit in _this_ wretched place for the rest of his life." Org narrowed his eyes at the jibe. Sol scoffed. "Quit looking at me like that, old man, and let me enjoy my precious company."

"Get on with it, then, if you're so _eager_," Gajeel growled. Sol shrugged again.

"Whatever," he muttered. "As soon as the kid was deemed useless, the same S-Class mage who examined him ripped the memories from his tiny skull and dumped him somewhere on the other side of Fiore. Thought the wildlife would get to him, or maybe he'd starve while wandering around." Sol's grin returned. "But I guess not, since you three are trying to track him down. Should've known the brat would survive."

"How did you know our reason for coming here?"

"It wasn't that hard to figure out. I'm not a mindless murderer like people tend to think. Quite the opposite – I happen to be a very _intelligent_ murderer."

"Wait, you erased his memories…?" Lucy asked, brown eyes going wide. Levy looked over her shoulder to her friend, worried about the desperate tone in the blonde's voice.

"Lu-chan, we'll discuss this later." The bluenette went back to speaking with the murderer in the cell. "You _knew_ Irien would survive?"

"The kid may've been weak, but I have a sixth sense for scoping people out," Sol answered. "He was a lightning user without any lightning, but that's because it wasn't his core elemental affinity."

"It wasn't?" Levy's brows furrowed. "Then what _was_ it?"

"Dunno. I can only sense when someone's energies aren't aligned right. Comes with the baggage of being a sun-type energy mage. I can make educated guesses, but I couldn't tell you for sure what his affinity was." Sol held his hand out at arm's length and gazed at his chipped fingernails. "The way I see it, the kid wasn't born to use lightning. And if there's a chance he survived, his element was probably something natural – Unlike lightning or a type of metal. That way, he'd be drawn to it."

"Umm… I don't follow," Lucy interrupted bluntly.

"Well, _there's_ something typical," Sol snorted. "A blonde who doesn't know anything." Lucy balled up her fist, ready to give the guy a piece of her mind, only to be stopped by Levy taking her hand in her own.

"I'll explain, Lu-chan," she said calmly before her friend could get even redder in the face. "When someone is born with a natural elemental affinity like water or air, and if they're a mage, they'll be drawn to whatever it is when their life is in danger. They'll be likely to survive. A mage in the same situation with an unnatural element wouldn't be so lucky." She turned back to Sol, still holding Lucy's hand. "And you're saying Irien's element _wasn't_ lightning?"

"Not in the slightest. Probably why he couldn't use it." Sol's hand dropped back down, resting on his knee. "If you think he's survived, the brat probably had a natural elemental affinity."

"How can we trust what you're saying?" Levy inquired. Her hazel eyes turned cynical. "You have no reason to give us any information. You don't have to – Yet you're talking up a storm. How do we know you're not lying about the affinity?"

Sol let his sharp amber eyes pass over each member of the temporary team. "Cutie, I can already tell your affinity is a natural one. From the way you carry yourself, your energy definitely relates to a type of wood. Can't see you being anything else." Levy looked a bit surprised at this. Sol smirked at Gajeel. "Well, no prizes for guessing what yours is, Mister Studley. You obviously have the unnatural element of metals. I'm guessing iron. Also, that's a nice magic you use. Gives your affinity away quickly without me having to think too much." Gajeel muttered something incomprehensible beneath his breath. When Sol got to Lucy, his brows raised and his grin widened. "Well, well. Looks like we have something in common, Beach Bunny. I can't get a straight handle on you, but I'd bet anything that you're a light affinity like I am. Probably something involving the moon." The psycho chuckled. "Sunlight and moonlight. Like two peas in a pod."

"I don't care what you say about my affinity," Lucy snarled. "I am _nothing_ like you."

"Whatever you say, Goody Two-Shoes."

"That's enough, Sol," Org snapped loudly. "I will not tolerate your harassing of these three any longer."

"Hey, they came to me at their own expense. Let me have some fun, old fart."

"Now, _see here_-!"

"Org-sama, it's alright!" Levy cried before the council member could start arguing with Sol too. "We won't be here for much longer. I have only two more questions for Sol."

"So shoot already, Missy," the sunlight mage encouraged with a jeer.

"Very well." Levy folded her arms. "Where exactly did you drop Irien off at?"

"You think I _remember_?" Sol laughed cruelly. "I don't know if you've realized, but that was _fourteen years_ ago."

"You certainly seem to have no trouble remembering the screams of young children from the same time period."

"Yeah, but that's because I _want_ to." Sol waved off-handedly. "Like I said. Somewhere on the opposite side of Fiore. Some unnamed forest that nobody goes to. What's the second question?"

"You must've been around Irien long enough to guess at his correct elemental affinity was. Tell us."

"Again, you expect me to remember?" Sol shrugged. "Look, I don't recall every little detail. A single brat wasn't that important to me in the long run. I remember his hair color and what Discord Palette did with him. I know he had a natural core element. That's it."

"I see…" Levy pursed her lips, turning back to her guild mates. "I don't think there's anything more to be learned here. Org-sama, will we be allowed back if we have further inquiries?"

"That depends on whether or not Sol will agree."

"Why wouldn't I?" Sol sniggered. "Just be sure to leave the metal muncher behind. All I want to see next time is the blue-haired cutie and the blonde with the huge jugs." Lucy instantly flushed beet red and covered her chest with her arms.

"_Sexual harassment_!" she yelled in embarrassment. Sol just laughed.

"Whatever… If everyone's done here, then allow me to get back to sleep. I'm weak without the sun and I want to rest before my next meal."

Lucy was the first one heading back up the hallway. She had absolutely no problem with leaving the man alone in the dark.

* * *

Hooray for punny chapter titles.

I will try to get the ninth chapter up by tomorrow, since I'm inspired.


	9. In a Sense

I wonder how many of you I have fooled already.

Just barely made it over 3k with this one. The parts with Wendy helped.

zoro99, for some reason, I really enjoy your reviews.

* * *

_**Chapter 9 - In a Sense**_

* * *

"I never thought I'd say this," Gajeel grumbled. "But why aren't you guys talking?"

Neither Lucy nor Levy looked up. Their stares were intense and concentrated on the floor of the train's cabin. They had been like that since they departed from Era hours ago, and showed little sign of changing their hunched-over positions.

Gajeel snorted. "You know, it's creepy when you guys don't talk for a while. I ain't used to it."

"Tough," Levy muttered. "I'm trying to sort things out in my head."

"_What_ things?"

"About Irien."

"I figured _that_. Would it kill ya to elaborate?" Levy sighed, and gazed over at Gajeel's sweating form. Even when he had motion sickness, he still managed to be blunt and rude.

"Sol said some interesting things back there," she said. "Like how the magic Irien was supposed to be able to use and his own affinity were different from each other."

"Yeah, I heard," Gajeel replied sourly. "The hell does that mean, though?"

"It means Irien was never meant to be a lightning user. He was meant to command another element – And from what Sol said, it would've been a natural one." Levy twiddled her thumbs. "Fate obviously had something else in store for Irien, for his magic and his core element to not match up…"

"You _believe_ in that fate crap?" Gajeel would've laughed, if not for him being sick to his stomach at the moment.

"Just because it seems ridiculous to you doesn't mean it's not correct, Gajeel," Levy murmured irritably. "Fate and the universe are the reasons why the particular mages I mentioned earlier are able to find their element and survive if their lives are in danger."

"I don't get it."

"I didn't think you would." Levy sat back in her seat, her shoulders getting tired from leaning. "Being drawn to your element is never as straightforward as it seems. A wizard associated with water might not come across a river or stream… But they might come across a dropped canteen filled with water and then find the person who lost it. Said person would be grateful and invite the person to their house for a meal of gratitude."

"That story is a load of bull."

"It was meant to be an example, but if you want a realistic case, then fine. Take me for example. Sol may have been a joking, psychotic murderer… But I think he was correct when trying to guess our affinities, because I already knew my affinity before today; and it _is_ wood. " Levy twirled a piece of hair between her fingers. "My survival may stem from knowledge, but it's only because I've been lead to my core element in times of stress."

"How the hell does _wood_ help you?" Gajeel asked disbelievingly.

"Like I said, it's indirect." Levy patted her backpack, which sat next to her. "I wasn't actually led to _wood_, per say… I was led to _books_ – A form of my element. Paper is a product of wood." The bluenette used her head to gesture to the blonde in front of her. "Better yet, look at Lu-chan." Lucy looked up in surprise.

"Me…?" Levy nodded.

"Sol said your affinity was light that had to do with the moon, Lu-chan." Levy pointed to the keys at her friend's waist. "Your spirits are related to constellations, which is another product of the night sky. They are your reason for survival – Sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally."

Lucy looked to her keys instinctively. That was true. Her spirits were her emotional crutches for the longest time, keeping her close to her mom and helping her deal with her father's cold treatment of her. They were the reason she'd been strong enough to get up and leave the Heartfilia residence. They were the reason she was in the Fairy Tail guild.

They really _were_ what helped her survive.

"So what's this talk got to do with the kid?" Gajeel grunted, breaking Lucy's thought pattern. Levy folded her arms.

"Because, I was thinking that if Irien wasn't a lightning user… And if we're really going to investigate whether or not Natsu is Irien…" She paused. "Just think about this. What if Irien's core element was _fire_?"

Lucy instantly sat up. Levy continued.

"If Natsu is Irien and his affinity were fire, then it comes together. Natsu had been specifically drawn to the area of the forest he was in where Igneel lied. Igneel is a _fire_ dragon, remember?"

"You're saying that Natsu was led to Igneel… As a means of _survival_?" Lucy gasped. Levy nodded.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. That's about as indirect it gets, for the survival instict to work… But it makes sense. Plus, Natsu's magic is fire-related, and he's _extremely_ capable with it."

"Well, _shit_," Gajeel massaged his forehead. "This could actually be _right_…" He'd taken the words right out of Lucy's mouth.

"We don't know yet, Gajeel," Levy replied before gazing back to Lucy. "Lu-chan, is that profile of Irien almost done?"

"Uhh… Yeah," the Celestial Spirit mage answered uncertainly. She blinked. "Why?"

"That's going to be our guideline. We're going to go down that profile and mark off whatever matches with Natsu."

"But… What if we don't know something specific about him? I know for a fact that _nobody_ knows what his blood type is…" Levy shrugged.

"Whatever we don't know off the top of our head, we'll investigate."

"Count me out," Gajeel muttered.

"I wasn't including you, anyway," the Solid Script mage muttered back. "Anyway, Lu-chan… Blood type will be the first thing we look into, since we can get Porlyusica-san to tell us. We might as well, while she's here."

"Good idea… But…" Lucy frowned. "Porlyusica-san might not give us that information without a reason. What are we supposed to tell her?"

"Umm… I'll think of something in the morning when I'm less tired."

* * *

It had to be past midnight when Wendy heard the voice.

The smallest Dragonslayer opened her eyes slowly, rubbing them with her wrist tiredly. She looked out of the infirmary's window, spotting the moon still high in the night sky. She'd fallen asleep on a chair beside Erza's bed, with her head resting on the window sill.

Wendy looked to Erza and Natsu, both of them sound asleep aside from Natsu's snoring. Charle was still snoozing on her lap. The Sky Maiden blinked confusedly. If everyone was sleeping, then where did that voice come from? Had she been dreaming?

_Small child. I apologize for having awoken you._

Wendy promptly sat up, now fully awake. She looked around again, confused as to where the voice was coming from. A shiver of fear sent a chill down her spine. _What if it's a ghost!?_ She panicked inwardly.

_I am not a ghost, small child. I am but a mere psychic._

Wendy gasped. The voice was inside her _head_! _What a strange feeling…_ But why was a psychic contacting her at this _time_ of night? And why _her_?

_Because you are the purest soul in the guild at the moment, and I can only make contact with those not stained by hatred or lies._ In her head, Wendy heard the voice take in a breath. _I wish to speak with your master, Makarov Dreyar. It concerns the scarlet-haired mage whom lies beside you._

Instinctively, the Sky Dragonslayer looked to Erza in alarm.

_You… How do you know about Erza-san?_

_Forgive me, small child, but I perused through your thoughts before contacting you. It was to make sure you could be trusted. Again, I apologize._

_So you didn't know about Erza-san before coming here?_

_No. I came for a different reason. Your friend just happens to be related to the topic, in such a way that I may have possibly found a way to convince your guild master to talk with me peacefully._

Wendy cocked her head to one side. Peacefully? That implied that Makarov wouldn't want to speak to this psychic without a very good reason… And Erza had become that reason.

_Can… Can I trust you?_ she asked the voice.

_You will have to. I don't have much time to explain, and I don't want to keep you from your dreams any longer, so I will make my explanation quick and to the point. Your guild's strongest members are being targeted, and I fear it is for one very specific reason._

A sharp intake of breath could be heard from the blue-haired Dragonslayer.

_We're… We're being targeted?_

_I am sorry I did not contact you with better news, but I speak the truth._

_By who? Who are we being targeted by!?_

_Unfortunately, that is not for your ears, small child. It is for Makarov Dreyar's and his only._ The voice paused. _I wish not to disturb you anymore tonight. I shall take my leave now, and will return tomorrow morning. Can I count on you to relay my message to your guild master, small child?_

_I… I will try,_ Wendy replied in her thoughts. _But please, can't you at least tell me your name?_

_You will learn my full name tomorrow. For now, you may refer to me as Madilia._

_I-I see… Thank you, Madilia-san. I will make sure the master gets your message before you arrive tomorrow._

_I am in your debt, small child. I bid you good night._

Wendy waited for Madilia to speak more, but her mind was met with silence. The woman must've left already. The Sky Maiden was left sitting on her chair, confused and scared. She would have to make sure she saw Makarov first thing in the morning. If Fairy Tail's strongest members were being targeted, he should know as soon as possible.

Something about this whole thing didn't sit right with Wendy. Who was Madilia exactly, and how did she know their guild was being targeted when even _they_ didn't know? Did she know who was doing this, and why they were?

Questions without answers sat in her head. The psychic may have left so Wendy could sleep, but the young girl had a feeling she would be getting very little of it that night.

* * *

True to her word, when Lucy and her teammates got back to the guild, she went back to the infirmary to talk to Natsu.

As far as she could see, he was healing up fine. The blemishes that once adorned the right side of his face had faded almost entirely, leaving behind some peeling skin and discoloration. According to him, Porlyusica said that he'd probably be fine within the next day.

That was good, considering he'd be likely to go stir-crazy like Macao had joked about if he had to sit in the infirmary any longer.

When she looked to Wendy though, the girl looked less spirited than she normally did. She had bags under her eyes and was keeping her head up by leaning on her arm.

"Wendy, are you alright?" Lucy asked worriedly, walking over and tapping the twelve-year-old on her shoulder. Wendy jumped a little, but smiled up at her friend as if she hadn't had a late night conversation with an unknown person in her mind.

"I'm fine, Lucy-san," she said cheerfully. "I'm just very tired… I… Something happened last night… And I couldn't sleep."

"What? What happened?"

"Someone spoke to her," Charle answered. "Telepathically." Lucy's brown eyes widened.

"They _did_? _Who_?"

"A woman named Madilia," Wendy replied. "At least, I think that was her name… She told me to give a message to Master Makarov. She said she had to speak with him today – That whatever she said was for his ears only."

"That's… odd," Lucy murmured. "And has she come yet?" Wendy shook her head.

"No… But I can feel her, somehow. She's in the area… I guess she's waiting for the right time to come." The Sky Maiden played with her fingers. "I've got a bad feeling, though… Madilia-san said something that worried me. About the guild."

"Fairy Tail?" Natsu piped up. _Now_ he was concerned. When something involved Fairy Tail and this type of premonition, it never led to something good. "What about it?"

"What did Madilia-san say?" Lucy asked.

"I… I can't tell you, Lucy-san," Wendy refused gently. "I can't tell anyone else. Not unless the master wants me to."

"Why?"

"It would just cause more worries… And I don't want everyone to be troubled."

"Come _on_, Wendy!" Natsu begged loudly. "Just tell us! Me and Luce can keep things secret!" Charle rolled her eyes.

"Somehow, I can't see you keeping a secret," she replied in her usual condescending tone. "You're too loud and too abrasive."

"Aww, shut up!"

"The cat is right, though." The room's residents turned to the door, where Porlyusica was entering again. She sent a glare at Natsu, though it wasn't a particularly hateful one. "You wouldn't be able to keep a secret if you wanted to."

"I could _too_, you damn witch!" Natsu snapped.

"Shut up before I purposely rub that pollen in your face." The healing mage sat on the stool and took a jar out from her cloak. She removed the lid, causing Natsu to reel back instantly.

"Oh, _man_!" he yelled. "That stuff smells _disgusting_!"

"I realize. However, if you want the rest of your face cleared up by tomorrow, I'll have to apply this salve to the area where your skin is peeling."

"_No way_!"

"Natsu, just _listen_ to her for once," Lucy snapped exasperatedly. "If you do, I'll take you out and buy you lunch when you're better." Natsu seemed to perk up at this.

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. Mind you, I'll only pay up to a certain amount of Jewels, but it's still a free meal for you." Natsu folded his arms and frowned, weighing the options in his head. Free food or nasty medicine? Odds are the old witch would find a way to slather that junk on his face anyway, bribe or no bribe. Might as well go with the beneficial option.

"Fine…" he muttered. "How many times do you have to put that crap on my face?"

"Just once." Porlyusica dipped her fingers into the jar of blue salve, and touched it to Natsu's cheek. The fire-eater winced, from the smell and the coldness of the medicine.

"This is just _nasty_…" he grumbled.

"Grin and bear it, Natsu," Lucy chuckled. "Free food, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah… Doesn't make this any better, though." Lucy sighed. _Guess there's no use in trying to stop his complaining…_ On the outside, she was smiling at her friend's childishness. In her head, though, she had already taken on a serious disposition.

As soon as Porlyusica was done applying the salve to the afflicted areas of Natsu's face, she'd ask to meet with the woman in the hallway for a small 'favor'. With Natsu healing up and there being nothing more she could do for Erza, the old healer would be leaving very soon. The chances of talking with her were little. It was best to do it now while she had the chance.

* * *

"Levy! Gajeel!"

The bookworm and the Dragonslayer looked up from their table, and saw Makarov walking towards them. Another envelope was in his hand. This one was much thicker, likely filled with more than just a single piece of paper.

"Yes, master?" Levy blinked. "What's that?" Makarov hopped onto the table and handed the mail to her.

"It's from that couple you took the job request from. I believe this is your daily payment."

"Oh!" Levy turned the envelope over to read the address. Indeed, it had been sent from Altivian City. It could only be from Cobalt and Ervana. "Thanks, master!"

"Not a problem, child." Makarov smiled. "How goes the search, by the way? Any breakthroughs yet?" Levy flinched at the question. It was slight, but Makarov caught it. His brow rose at her reaction. "Something wrong?"

"N-No, master!" Levy shook her head. "It's just… It's taking so long to find Irien. I didn't expect it to be this difficult."

"Well, no use getting upset over it." Makarov patted Levy on her shoulder in reassurance. "Job requests like these tend to lean towards the difficult side. There's a lot of work involved, but I'm sure with your knowledge, Lucy's instincts, and Gajeel's Bloodhound nose, you'll be able to pull this off." Gajeel's vein pulsed at the dog comparison. Levy smiled at the Wizard Saint gratefully.

"Thank you, master."

"Any time, my chi-" Makarov broke off, catching something odd out of the corner of his eye. He leaned his head to the right as to not be cut off my Levy's mass of blue hair. His eyes widened in surprise. The guild members on the floor level were also staring at something in shock. Levy and Gajeel, not wanting to be left in the dark, turned in the same direction.

Someone was phasing right through the guild entrance's closed doors as if they weren't even there.

Levy shared her guild mate's sentiment. Her mouth dropped open at the sight. Gajeel was mostly indifferent, other than the fact that his studded eyebrows were now raised. Makarov quickly regained his composure and jumped down from the table. As he approached their sudden guest, the cloaked figure made no other move aside from looking down at the master.

"I'm all for surprise visits from friends," Makarov started. "But mind you, I have no idea who you are, and it is more than rude to just step into the guild of your own accord. Identify yourself."

The figure pulled back its dark green hood, revealing a woman with long, metallic silver hair and sharp green eyes. Her face had not one wrinkle on it, showing that she had most likely not even hit forty yet.

"Makarov Dreyar," she began. "This is hardly a surprise visit. I assume the small blue-haired child alerted you to my presence?" Makarov's eyebrows rose.

"Wendy did mention a psychic by the name of Madilia would want to talk with me, though I was skeptical when I heard…" He kept his tone even. "Am I to presume that _you_ are this psychic?"

"I am she. I have much to discuss with you, Makarov Dreyar." Makarov narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Your whole being speaks the past, does it not? I feel as though I know you from somewhere…"

"It would not surprise me that you know my appearance," Madilia said. "After all, you were in Era the day my trial was in session." Makarov's face became very stern at this.

"So you are a criminal."

"I would not say that. I was found innocent that day." The psychic shuffled her cloak over her shoulders, revealing a pure white dress underneath. "Since it would be useless to lie to a Wizard Saint, I will clarify my identity. I am Madilia Cienny, and I was once an S-Class mage of the dark guild Discord Palette."

* * *

Bet'cha didn't see that coming, huh?

I'm sorry I didn't upload this earlier today, guys. Today was just not good for me. Migraine, cramps, poison ivy, and bleeding from my vagina do not make me a pleasant person. (inb4 'TMI'.)

But I needed to get this chapter out, so meh.


	10. Sore Sights

Good news! I don't have therapy tonight, so you guys get to see this chapter before 10 PM! Huzzah! (Did I mention I live on the east coast?)

Also, ten chapters! Woo! Hopefully I'll get 100+ reviews by the time this is done.

* * *

_**Chapter 10 - Sore Sights**_

* * *

Levy's eyes widened to impossible proportions when Madilia introduced herself. This went unnoticed by the rest of the guild, as everyone was still concentrating on their surprise guest.

Madilia dipped her head forward in a bow of respect, her silvery hair cascading over her shoulders. "You now know who I am. I will let you decide whether you want to hear what I have to say or not. Be warned though, Makarov Dreyar. I bring important news that may spell the end for your guild and your children."

Makarov regarded the woman coolly, his expression hardened. "You were part of one of the most notorious dark guilds known to the magic world, Madilia Cienny. Among Discord Palette's members, you were one of the most talented and from what I understand, you had quite the hand in many kidnappings of young wizards." The woman flinched ever-so-slightly. Makarov held his stare for a moment more. "However… For you to approach me in broad daylight, and after making contact with one of my own, the news you have must be of the utmost importance. Come." Makarov turned, and began walking down the hall. "Follow me, Madilia-san. We will discuss this in my office." Madilia raised her head and nodded.

"I thank you for this chance, Makarov Dreyar."

"I'm not about to turn someone away when Fairy Tail is involved. Let us hurry."

As the two exited the room, Levy felt herself able to breathe again.

"Ooooh myyy goooood…" she gasped. She looked to her teammate in excitement. "We've _got_ to talk to that woman." Gajeel eyed her with a strange curiosity.

"Why? What the hell could she possibly tell us?"

"Didn't you hear master!? That woman was involved in kidnappings! Maybe she could tell us something about Natsu- I mean Irien!" Gajeel snorted.

"Nice to see you're not letting that idea about Natsu get to you."

"Ugh." Levy smacked her forehead. "_That_ was a stupid mistake… But I'm not going to let that bother me. Come on, let's go eavesdrop."

"We're gonna get caught."

"Not if you don't stop complaining, we won't."

* * *

After Madilia entered his office, Makarov put his hand against the door and muttered a spell. The door glowed briefly, and then went back to normal when he took his hand back. Madilia raised a brow at his actions. As he walked to the back of the room, the Wizard Saint explained,

"A spell to keep our voices inside this room. Knowing my children, some of them will attempt to listen to our discussion."

"That is very smart of you," Madilia admitted, taking a seat in a spare chair. "Yet rather impertinent of them."

"It's common sense in this guild to create sound barriers when you want to speak to someone alone," Makarov chuckled good-naturedly. "I love my children, but they tend to ignore the meaning of that word 'privacy'. Now…" The older man's face lost its cheerfulness. He hopped onto his desk and sat on the edge, ready to discuss business. "I shall listen to whatever it is you must say."

"Again, I give my thanks." Madilia bowed her head briefly. "Before I begin, though, I want you to consider a request of mine."

"A request?" Makarov echoed with interest. This woman was making deals with him right off the bat? He sighed. This was going to be a tiresome session. "Fine. Let me hear it."

"Very well. It concerns my child."

"Your child?" Makarov found his brow rising for the umpteenth time that day. Madilia nodded.

"Yes. Though he is yet unborn." The psychic gazed out of the nearest window, green eyes glazed over with a cosmic wisdom that didn't go unnoticed by the Wizard Saint. "Within a decade from now, I will bear a child on my own… And I fear that I will not live to see his seventh year." Her aura shrank at that moment, obviously due to emotional unrest within her. This also didn't slip by Makarov's eyes. He nodded solemnly at his guest.

"Being born with tremendous powers of premonition and then being given such terrible visions of your own future… I am truly sorry for you."

"I have gotten used to such sights by now," Madilia reassured him, turning her head to speak directly to the man once again. "But like any mother, I worry for the well-being of my son. I want him to grow up happy, surrounded by those who care for him." Makarov instantly knew where this was going.

"You wish for your son to be granted entrance into the Fairy Tail guild." The woman nodded.

"Your guild, Makarov Dreyar… It is unlike any I have seen before. Everyone is treated as a family member, and everyone is happy, despite their own pasts… There is a warmth surrounding you, such a sense of family… I have never come across anything like it." Her hands tightened, gripping the material of her dress slightly. "I wish for my son to grow up surrounded by such a warmth; and if I cannot give it to him… I would rather he join a family like yours than the hellhole I ended up in as a young adult."

Makarov tightened the grip on his staff. It was clear she was speaking of the dark guild she'd been affiliated with, as vague as her words were. He stared her down, getting another look at her person. She seemed not to be there to cause harm. He would trust his instincts.

"Madilia-san," he started. "Anyone who wishes to join Fairy Tail will not be denied entry. Your son will be granted membership the day he comes looking for us."

"I am both pleased to hear that and extremely grateful for your hospitality." Madilia smiled ever-so-slightly, but then regained her serious composure. "Now, I shall inform of the news you wish to listen to." The psychic stood up and walked over to the wooden desk where Makarov sat. She gently placed her palm on his forehead, and closed her eyes. Before Makarov could question her actions, he suddenly found himself swimming in the darkness of someone's consciousness.

"_What are you doing?"_ he asked within his mind.

"_I feel visuals are necessary for this tale,"_ came his reply.

* * *

"Move, Gajeel! I wanna hear too!"

"Good luck. Even with my sensitive ears, I can't hear jack."

"Oooh, darn it! Master must've put up another barrier! Come on, let's just go find Lu-chan. I'm almost positive she'll still be in the infirmary with Natsu."

* * *

"_As you know, I was once an S-Class mage of Discord Palette. I'd have to be, to still be alive today."_ Makarov didn't argue with that. The S-Class mages of the guild were given trials. The other members were either executed or put in prison for the rest of their lives. _"It was not my choice to be a member, however. Koda, a powerful wizard, wanted my psychic powers and knew they could not be easily torn from me. Thus, he just included me in the guild with the promise of allowing me to never get hurt. What he promised, he held. I did not receive any physical scars. Emotional ones are a different story."_

The setting around Makarov changed from blackness to what appeared to be another infirmary. A younger version of Madilia, with much shorter, duller hair, was tending to a young girl.

"_I was involved in the kidnappings,"_ Madilia continued. _"But not in the way you think. I merely inspected the children who were abducted from their families to make sure they were suited to train. If they passed, I was told to tear their memories from them and hand them over to other members so they could begin training them. If I found a child did not have as much potential as Koda initially thought, they were to be thrown into the wild and left for dead. Either way, none of them left Discord Palette's infirmary with knowledge of their past. Whether they joined or not, their memories were still taken."_

Makarov saw exactly what she meant. In the scene, the younger Madilia was performing a spell to completely remove someone's memories from their head. When it was completed, the young child had a blank expression on her face. She was obviously confused by her surroundings.

"_Where am I, miss?"_ she asked. Madilia bit her lip. Makarov could see some wetness behind her eyelashes.

"_I'm very sorry, young one."_ The scene ended, and the darkness was brought back. Makarov stroked his chin.

"_I find it strange that you would do these things willingly, yet cry when doing so. What is the reason for that?"_ he asked.

"_My brother."_ Another scene popped up, this time with both the young Madilia and a man with dirty blonde hair dressed entirely in blue.

"_You want me to do __**what**__!?"_ Madilia cried.

"_You heard me, child,"_ the man replied calmly, folding his arms. _"Loud and clear."_ Madilia glared at him.

"_I will **not** use my powers to strip innocent children of their lives!"_

"_You are not ridding them of their lives, you are merely preparing them to join Discord Palette. Think of them like whiteboards that need to be cleaned before being used again."_

"_By taking away their memories, I might as __**well**__ be killing them! I refuse to use my powers in such a blatantly cruel way, Koda!"_ Koda chuckled, and stood up. From his desk, he walked over to Madilia and patted her on the head.

"_Come now, Lia-chan. Your **brother** seems to appreciate the way this guild works… Why can't you?"_

"_Cyander is a stupid individual with terrible morals and a sick sense of humor, **that's** why,"_ Madilia spat.

"_Oh? Then you won't care if I simply off him for you."_

The horrified expression on the young Madilia's face showed just how much she wasn't expecting that as a response.

"_Y-You wouldn't… Cyander is your right-hand man. You wouldn't kill him off."_

"_I might, I might not. That is up to you. Although if you **hate** him so much, I don't see why there should be a problem."_

"_I could **never** hate my own brother, no matter how much of a moron he is for choosing to be in this guild."_

"_I see… Then refusing my request would put you __**both**__ in a dreadful situation, wouldn't it?"_ Madilia swallowed, despite her dry throat.

"_You… I can't believe you would betray one of your own, just to get me to do this…"_

"_There are plenty of things I will do to get what I want. Don't ever put that past me."_ Koda stroked her cheek in a falsely-loving gesture. _"So, what was your answer again, my dear?"_ Madilia slapped his hand away, glaring at the dark guild's mark on his neck in disgust.

"_Fine… I'll help you create more mindless followers."_ Koda smiled.

"_That's my girl."_ Again, blackness enveloped the flashback, leaving Makarov with his own thoughts.

"_Cyander may have been a disgusting individual who loved inflicting emotional pain… But family is family, and I did not want to see him hurt,"_ Madilia admitted softly. _"My brother had taken care of me for years. Betraying him would have been…"_

"_I understand the feeling of broken family well enough, thanks to my son,"_ Makarov said bitterly. _"My sympathies. However, I fail to see where my guild comes into play."_

"_It is because I did not let my brother be killed that Fairy Tail is going to suffer,"_ Madilia's voice answered softly. _"It is my fault. I apologize."_

"_That is in no way your fault,"_ Makarov assured her sternly. _"But I am curious as to why you think so."_

"_Because Cyander escaped from his imprisonment years ago, right from under the council's nose; and now he's tormenting others again, physically and mentally. The scarlet-haired woman in your infirmary is proof of that."_ Makarov's eyes widened.

"_Are you saying your brother was responsible for Erza's wounds!?"_ he yelled in surprise. Even though he couldn't see her, Makarov imagined Madilia would be shrugging right about then.

"_In a way, yes,"_ she replied with the barest hint of anger in her voice. _"My most recent residence is located in the area the woman was summoned to. I felt a bad premonition that day, so I went to investigate. I found the woman in a massive pool of blood, with her eye missing. I examined her consciousness, finding much turmoil and guilt flowing through her. I couldn't pinpoint the source, but it seemed to me that the same unstable emotions had been dug up rather crudely – As if she had hidden them away, and then had them forcefully brought to the front of her mind."_ Madilia paused. _"I said my brother liked to cause emotional pain as much as he did physical pain. When I realized what was going through the woman's mind, I knew this was his doing."_ Makarov took the information in with a nauseating feeling brewing within.

"_And her eye?"_ he asked. _"Erza's right eye is missing. Was that his doing as well?"_

"_Most likely. An eye crafted by an expert healing mage has the ability to connect deeply with magic relating to emotions. If there were a powerful mage who used such magic, using the eye would be a surefire way to steal that mage's magic from him or her; and not only that, but that same magic could then be utilized by the person who stole it."_

"_And your brother possesses that kind of strength?"_

"_No. This leads me to my next point. I assume you know who Koda Mathera is?"_

"_The guild master of Discord Palette. Of course I know that name. It's hard to forget a wizard who takes his own life."_ Makarov's eyes narrowed. _"Why is he important now?"_

"_Because your information is wrong,"_ Madilia said grimly. _"Koda is very much alive."_

* * *

When Levy and Gajeel got to the infirmary's hallway, they found Lucy far from the room, arguing with Porlyusica over something.

"… But why _not_?" she asked for the third time. She was beginning to sound frantic. "Is information like that really _that_ private?" Porlyusica was ready to whack the girl over the head with her broom by this point.

"You have failed to give me a good enough reason for wanting to know that boy's blood type," the healing mage retorted irritably. "Repetitive begging is not going to make me give up a person's medical information."

"I don't want his medical information! I just want his blood type!" Levy sweated at the scene. Gajeel just groaned.

"So _that's_ what she's up to…" he muttered. Levy laughed nervously.

"Maybe I should step in before Porlyusica-san hits her…"

"I kinda' wanna see that happen."

"And I kinda' _don't_ wanna see that happen." Levy ran over to the bickering females and waved cheerily. "Lu-chan! What's up? Why are you bothering Porlyusica-san?"

"She wishes to know that pink-haired boy's blood type, _that's_ why," Porlyusica snapped. "Yet she will not specify why she's acting so desperate." Levy just giggled.

"Oh, I can tell you why, Porlyusica-san!" The elder woman raised a brow. Lucy looked even more panicked. Levy smiled. "You see… Lu-chan has a _crush_ on Natsu!" The Celestial Mage's face paled to the color of a fish's belly.

"_Levy-chan_-!"

"-And she wants to know his blood type to see if they're compatible!" Levy cut off her friend's protest. She patted the blonde on the head as if she were a toddler. Lucy was so mortified at the script mage's words she didn't even notice. "She's just so shy, she can't admit it… Isn't she adorable?" _That_ snapped Lucy out of it.

"Levy-chan, why would you _say_ that!?"

"Because, like Happy would say…" Levy grinned. "You _lllllike_ him!" Lucy all but shrieked in embarrassment. Porlyusica massaged her temporal.

"Honestly, young women these days… Trusting in astrology to find yourselves a boyfriend." She turned on her heels, her destination being the infirmary. "For such a stupid reason, I will give you no information. Don't believe in such nonsense." She muttered to herself. "Blood type compatibility, my _arse_…"

As the elder woman walked away, a red-faced Lucy smacked Levy on the arm as hard as she could.

"_Ow_! Lu-chan, that hurt!"

"You deserved it!" Lucy was practically trembling from anger. "Why would you lie and tell Porlyusica-san something like that!?"

"That was a lie?"

"Stop joking around!" Levy chuckled, but frowned soon after.

"Jokes aside, if Porlyusica-san won't tell us, then how are we supposed to learn Natsu's blood type?" The red faded from Lucy's cheeks slowly as she contemplated Levy's question.

"I really don't know, Levy-chan… I really don't."

* * *

"_K-Koda… He's __**alive**__?"_ Makarov stuttered. He couldn't believe it. That monster of a man, thought to be dead for nearly two decades… He was still out there?

"_Yes. I believe **he** was the one who inflicted the physical wounds on the woman, and not my brother. The amount of blood and the way it was splattered… Not to mention the aura of disaster I felt lingering in the air. I have no doubts. Koda is alive and active. And he is after your guild's strongest members."_

"_But __**why**__? Why Fairy Tail?"_ Madilia didn't hesitate to give the reason.

"_I believe it is because your guild is considered to be the strongest. As you know, Koda desires power – And now that he has that woman's false eye, he has the ability to steal a wizard's magic and use it as his own. He probably intends to use this to gather the magic from your most powerful mages and overthrow the council once he learns how to steal from different types of mages - Aside from those who use emotion-based magic."_

_"The council will not fall just because he has gathered the magical abilities of one guild alone."_

"_That is true, but it will give him ample enough power to invade Era and steal the magic of the council members. With that, he'll surely be able to take down anyone else who gets in his way – Wizard Saint or not."_

Makarov ground his teeth together in frustration. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his gut. If Koda was alive, this spelled major trouble – Not just for Fairy Tail, not just for the council, but for the whole country of Fiore. And if he was already strong enough to take down Erza…

"_I thank you for this information,"_ Makarov said. _"You've been most informative."_ At once, the darkness receded and he found himself back in his office. Madilia had removed her palm from his forehead.

"Now," she began. "Will you please show me to the scarlet-haired woman?" Makarov looked up at her in surprise.

"Why would you want to see Erza?"

"I cannot be sure, but Koda may have already stolen the scarlet-haired woman's magic from her." The guild master's breath hitched. Madilia hummed to herself in thought. "It would be a stretch to say that he could create the spell with her eye in such a short amount of time… But I do not put anything past that man anymore. I feel it is best to check."

"I… see."

"Not only that," the psychic continued. "But I am confident I will be able to awaken her. She remains as she is now due to her memories and internal battles being forcefully brought back to her attention, so if I can soothe her mind, she will regain consciousness." Madilia brought her cloak over her shoulders again, covering herself almost entirely. "The only reason the woman is alive is because I administered some quick first-aid to her when I found her, and then brought her back to Magnolia. I knew one of your guild members would be in town, and I purposely left her where he would find her."

Makarov really didn't know what to say about this.

"I… I thank you, Madilia-san." He bowed his head in respect. "Thank you for saving one of my children."

"I need no thanks. Now, will you show me to your infirmary? I don't believe it's a good thing for a person to be in a pseudo coma for days on end, and I wish for the woman's health. She has a strong heart that I don't want to see suffering." Makarov sighed heavily. This entire situation weighed heavily on his shoulders… But if there was a way to lighten that load, even by a little, so be it.

"Alright." The old guild master hopped down from his desk. "I will take you to Erza." Madilia nodded.

"My thanks."

* * *

Not much in the way of Lucy/Levy/Gajeel/ect interactions, but this needed to be written like this.

To be honest with you guys, I already have a sort-of sequel planned out for this. Madilia's child will be involved in it.


	11. Blood is Relative

Dear FF.N Staff: Warn me next time you want to put my login page under complete HTML code bullshit. That way, I can let my readers know that the reason I couldn't upload a chapter was because you people screwed up. Please get over your mistakes, I have a schedule to keep up with.

Sincerely, Me.

* * *

**_Chapter 11 - Blood is Relative_**

* * *

The presence felt from the hall was familiar to Wendy, as bizarre as it was. A vague feeling of both strength and emotion crossed through, sending a strangely warm shiver through her shoulder blades. She knew she had felt that same sensation before… But where?

"Wendy?" Natsu asked, bringing the younger Dragonslayer back to her senses. Onyx eyes met brown eyes, one pair concerned while the other was startled. "You alright? You spaced out for a moment."

"That's not like you," Charle commented. Wendy was about to answer, until the sound of the infirmary door opening cut her off.

The current wizards in the room eyed the intruders in surprise. One was Makarov, while the other was an unfamiliar young woman with an almost metallic hair color. The odd presence immediately felt stronger to Wendy, sending her on high alert. The aura was clearly being emitted from the woman the guild master had brought in.

"Pardon the intrusion," she said in a bored tone. The woman bowed her head towards Porlyusica. "You are the medicinal mage of Fairy Tail? A pleasure." Porlyusica raised a brow.

"I would not say I take the job happily, but yes. I am the one Makarov calls on when one of his children decides to get themselves into trouble." Makarov chuckled nervously.

"Hey Gramps, who's the lady?" Natsu asked. "I don't recognize her."

"I wouldn't expect you to, Natsu, as you've never met," Makarov replied with a shrug.

"I go by the name Madilia," the woman introduced herself with a tip of her head. "I am a psychic and ex-physician of Discord Palette."

"… _Ehhh_!?" Wendy exclaimed, jumping out of her chair. Porlyusica reeled back a bit, having been sitting next to her. The Sky Maiden didn't notice. She was busy trying to make eye contact with the silver-haired woman. "Y-_You're_ Madilia-san!?" Madilia nodded.

"I am. It is nice to finally meet you in person, small child; or shall I call you by your name, Wendy Marvell?" She looked to each other person in the room, greeting them as she went along. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Porlyusica… Charle… Natsu Dragneel… And you two as well, Lucy Heartfilia and Levy McGarden." Madilia turned her head towards the doorway, where the two girls had been spying on the interior from the side. They jumped when they were addressed by their names, embarrassed that they had been caught spying. Madilia gave them the barest of grins. "You girls would need decades of stealth training before you can escape _my_ notice."

"S-Sorry, Madilia-san…" they chimed apologetically.

"You need not say." Madilia walked past the other beds, stepping up to Erza's side. "I shall begin my process now, Makarov Dreyar."

"As you wish," the guild master answered. Madilia didn't reply. She merely concentrated on Erza and placed the index and middle fingers of her left hand on the Requip mage's forehead. She pressed her lips into a thin line, trying to find traces of energy within the unconscious mage. With a small breath of relief, she announced,

"Her magic is untouched, Makarov Dreyar. She will be fine after I have awakened her." Makarov felt some of the weight on his chest become lightweight. It was a huge consolation to hear that his child had not been stripped of her livelihood.

"That is _very_ good news," he sighed.

"I would think so; and because I do not wish to delay her recovery any longer, I shall begin healing her." With that, the psychic began chanting.

"_Great powers, Spirits of the Upper Realms… It is my will on this day to overcome the shadows within this woman's mind and bring about relief. I invite You into the Circle of Avalon and protect her in this rite."_

Madilia's hand glowed brightly and earnestly, making the rest of the room seem dark by comparison.

"_Behind her the Darkness, to the front I pull the Light as the wheel turns… With the energy of Birth, Death, and Regeneration, I draw forth an end to the beginning. Cast out the Darkness of her mind, and let the Light flood from Your gracious will."_

The light seemed to stem from her fingertips, sinking into Erza's forehead like a pebble in quicksand. The light began to dissipate.

"_Gods and Goddesses, hear my plea… Make haste, and let the guilt and pain that burn so much disappear into the Hades. Set free the pureness and love you know is there."_

The infirmary's lightning went back to normal. Madilia removed her fingers from Erza's forehead, her expression remaining unchanged and bland as if nothing had happened. While she took a step back, everyone else took the opportunity to gather around her even closer.

Sure enough, within seconds of the spell being completed, Erza's single visible eyelid began to twitch. She seemed to be adjusting to the lightning as she woke. When her brown orb did manage to pop open, there was an instant reaction from almost everyone.

Lucy and Levy began hugging each other and crying out of happiness. Natsu grinned and jokingly welcomed her back to the world of the living – Only to receive a slap on the head from his blonde teammate. Wendy leaned down and gave her a weak hug. Makarov gazed up at Madilia from the edge of Erza's bed.

"I cannot thank you enough, Madilia-san." The softness in his voice was enough to bring a light chuckle out of the green-eyed psychic.

"You have already thanked me enough, Makarov Dreyar," she assured him gently. "Do remember to keep your promise from before."

"I will most certainly not forget." He looked to Erza, who was attempting to sit up.

"Master… Everyone…" she murmured in recognition. "What's…? What is all this…?"

"Do not strain yourself to be up, child," Porlyusica chided her. "You were unconscious for quite some time, and have only awoken now. You are still at risk. It would be wise to take it easy."

"Porlyusica-san… And…" Erza finally spotted one person she did not recognize. Her expression flattened in confusion. "Who are you?"

"Madilia Cienny, young woman," said psychic replied nonchalantly. Makarov hopped off the end of the bed, and closer to his injured child.

"Madilia-san is a psychic, and the reason you are awake right now," he explained. "Tell me, how are you feeling?" Erza brought her hand to her face, covering the patch over her right eye socket.

"I feel… fatigued. Like something was attacking my memories… I don't remember much from when I was asleep, but…" She glanced at Madilia again. "If a psychic is my healer, then I can only assume that I was under a powerful spell."

"Your more grievous memories and past guilt were pulled to the forefront of your mind, and you were forced to bear them once again. It is a magic I am unfortunately familiar with," Madilia explained. "I am truly sorry for what you have gone through in your life, and at such a young age. Even losing your eye twice." This seemed to grab Erza's attention quite a bit.

"Pray tell…" she began, voice turning to ice. "How would you know anything of my past?" She seemed to not be concerned with the fact that the woman clearly mentioned that her eye was gone again.

"Again, I must apologize…" Madilia bit her lip, wondering how she could explain. "My initial reaction to meeting new people is to scope out their mind. I read their memories and feelings. I have done so with every person I meet. It has become… a defense mechanism, of sorts."

"I see…"

"Erza, I beg of you not to bear any ill will towards Madilia-san," Makarov said. "Not only is she your savior, but I have seen what her own memories are like and I feel I must say that they are not much better than yours or mine." Erza was quiet at this, contemplating the master's words.

"I can respect that it is a defense mechanism," she murmured after a minute of thought. "If what the master says is true, then I must express regret over judging you right off the bat. You may hit me, if it will make you feel better."

Everyone in the room sweated. Madilia remained passive.

"I wish for your health, Erza Scarlett. Hitting you would be in neither your best interest, nor in mine," she explained. "I merely want you to recover."

"I can understand that. I shall take it easy for now." The Requip mage chuckled darkly. The laugh held no amusement. "I am such a fool… To fall into such a trap, and then being beaten so effortlessly… It's obvious that more training is required of me."

"I can help with that!" Natsu chirped cheerily. Makarov whacked him over the head with his staff. Natsu cringed. "_Oww_! What _is_ with everyone and _hitting_ me!?" His question was ignored.

"Erza, this was in no way your fault," Makarov told her sternly. "And when you are feeling better – By my standards and Porlyusica's – I will explain everything. For now, get some rest." Makarov jumped off the bed and headed for the door. "Come, everyone. Let us leave Erza in peace. She will recover much quicker if she is not being hounded by all these people at once."

They were hesitant to follow the Wizard Saint at first, as they all wanted to speak with their guild mate and help her. However, common sense won the internal battle in all of them. Erza would only recover if she was not put under anymore stress, and it was likely that was all they would cause.

Wendy followed closest to Makarov, Charle in her arms. Lucy and Levy were next, and trailing behind them was Madilia. Before she left, though, the psychic turned to Natsu and stared at him. The fire-eater mimicked her, furrowing his brows in perplexity.

"What are _you_ staring at?" he inquired rudely. "If you're wondering about the blue stuff on my face, _believe_ me – I _know_ how stupid it looks."

"… … … I have met you somewhere before, Natsu Dragneel," Madilia stated out of the blue.

Outside in the hall, Lucy and Levy were pressed up against the wall in anxious anticipation. They heard Natsu snort.

"If we had, I _doubt_ you'd forget _me_." Lucy smacked her forehead. _He is so damn __**cocky**__ sometimes!_

"You certainly are a cheeky one, Natsu Dragneel," Madilia said flatly.

"Hmph." Natsu tilted his head to one side. "How would you know me anyway, lady? Gramps was right – I've never seen you in my life."

"Hmm…" For the first time since she arrived, Madilia blinked. "I _do_ wonder about that." That was the last thing she said before leaving the room behind. The infirmary door closed behind her of its own accord. The silence that followed was broken by Erza.

"I am curious, Natsu…" she started, attempting not to grin in amusement. "What _is_ that stuff on your face?"

"Disgusting, _that's_ what."

"And _why_ is it on your face?"

"_Idontwannatalkaboutit_."

Like he _really_ wanted Erza to find out that he, the great Fire Dragonslayer Natsu Dragneel, had been subdued by a _flower_.

* * *

"I will be staying nearby, Makarov Dreyar," Madilia said to the guild master. They were still in the hallway outside the infirmary. "I feel it is best for me to stay close in case something similar happens."

"That is a wise move," Makarov agreed. "In case you need to speak with me, will you be contacting me in the same way you did Wendy?"

"I cannot, as I may only transfer my voice to the minds of those with pure and innocent souls. I _did_ wonder why I was unable to make mental contact with you last night… However, meeting you in person has made me keenly aware of why." Madilia's expression hardened. "I _hope_ you will have gotten rid of those _Bodacious Beauties_ magazines by the time my child arrives here in the future." Makarov's face reddened in embarrassment. Charle made a face in disgust. Wendy wasn't sure what was going on. Lucy and Levy glared at the old man hotly.

"_Maaaasteeeeer_…"

"Eheheheh!" Makarov laughed nervously, scratching behind his head. "Oh, my! Look at the time! I must be off to clean my office!" The Wizard Saint sped off after that, leaving a trail of dust behind.

"I don't believe him…" Lucy muttered angrily. "That pervy old man…"

"Makarov Dreyar has many good qualities, but I am afraid that that is not one of them," Madilia commented flatly. She gazed down at Wendy. "If I need to contact your guild master in the future, I will be calling upon you, Wendy Marvell." The Sky Dragonslayer nodded.

"O-Of course, Madilia-san! But… You can just call me Wendy if you want to…"

"I am uncomfortable with such informality."

"O-Oh…" Wendy smiled sheepishly. "Alright."

"What are you getting so nervous over?" Charle asked.

"S-Sorry…!"

"Stop apologizing for nothing."

"So- I mean… okay." Madilia watched the exchange with just a trace of amusement in her eyes.

"You are a good child, Wendy Marvell," she began. "However, if you would be so kind as to leave? I believe these two," She gestured to Lucy and Levy. "Have been meaning to ask me questions for some time now." Wendy looked to the older girls in surprise.

"Is that true?" she asked. Levy played with her fingers absent-mindedly.

"Err…"

"Maybe…?" Lucy replied slowly.

"Oh… Okay! I'll see you guys later, then!" Wendy waved to them as she ran off with Charle in her arms.

"Such a sweet child…" Madilia hummed.

"Umm, excuse me? Madilia-san?" Levy piped up. "How did you know we wanted to talk with you?"

"Just from the way you act, stand, and behave," the psychic answered. "You weren't being very subtle." The bluenette's face turned pink. "That aside, though… You, Levy McGarden, wish to inquire if that boy is one of the ones I have seen in the past because you believe I was involved in the kidnapping of young children." Lucy looked to her best friend in surprise.

"You _do_, Levy-chan?" Levy's face only got brighter. Madilia ignored it.

"Sadly, I was not as involved as you think I am," she said. "I had nothing to do with the physical action of stealing children from their parents. I was merely the one who gave them their so-called checkups when they arrived at Discord Palette's infirmary."

"Does that mean you were the one who erased their memories, too!?" Lucy gasped excitedly. Madilia almost took a step back from the outburst and the amount of things she felt going through the Celestial Spirit mage's mind. A mentally busy girl, Lucy Heartfilia was.

"How would you know about that process?" the psychic asked. A brief one-over of the blonde's memories gave her an answer. She frowned. "Oh, I see… You two and a young man named Gajeel Redfox went to visit Sol Apyscos in Era. That explains much."

"If you can figure that out, then I guess you already know why we went to see him," Lucy hypothesized. She wasn't sure how she felt about a woman she didn't know just freely peering into her mind like that.

"I apologize for invading your personal thoughts and memories, Lucy Heartfilia." Madilia bowed her head. "Like I mentioned before… I am not used to doing otherwise. However, you are right, and I do know the reason why you visited that psychotic madman not too long ago."

"Wait, does that mean you can tell us if… You know…" Levy lowered her voice so a certain rosette's sharp ears wouldn't be able to pick it up. "If Natsu is really Irien…?"

"I could, but at the same time, I cannot." Disappointment instantly hung in the air. "I realize you two are not satisfied with that answer, but there is only so much information I can give out until I start to mess with future events. It is best you find out for yourselves. I'm sure when this is all over, you will both be satisfied with the result." _Helpful…_ Lucy muttered inwardly.

"Err… Thank you anyway, Madilia-san," Levy said. Madilia shrugged, and walked past them.

"I shall take my leave now. Before I go though, I suppose I could mention one piece of information to you."

"And what would that be?" Lucy asked skeptically.

"The blood type of Natsu Dragneel. I believe it to be AB negative. That is quite rare, I must say…" Madilia glanced over her shoulder, at the other female mages. "That _was_ your question, correct, Lucy Heartfilia?" Lucy visibly froze where she stood. Levy's eyes widened.

"His blood type... A-Are you sure, Madilia-san…?"

"It is true that I am a psychic, but I am _also_ a type of healer; not only did I catch it among the things I saw in Porlyusica's mind, but I was also the physician for Discord Palette at one point," the psychic woman explained. "They required a full report on every child brought to them. Thus, it isn't hard for me to figure these things out now." She said no more, as she reached the end of the hallway. While the girls were confused as to why she stepped into a dead end, their wonders were clarified when Madilia stepped through the wall in a way similar to how she'd entered the guild in the first place. Even though she'd seen that particular method of entrance and exit before, Levy was still shocked.

"I don't think I'll get used to that quickly…" she murmured. "What about you, Lu-chan?" Levy looked to her friend, only to see a ghost-like air about her. She frowned. "Lu-chan…? What's wrong?"

"His blood type …" Lucy repeated worriedly. "Levy-chan… It matches." Levy then understood the reason for the frightened expression on the blonde's face.

"You don't mean…?"

"Natsu and Irien… They're both AB negative."

* * *

I lied you guys, the HTML code bullshit didn't appear until today. (And I'm currently working off Internet Explorer, UGH.) A couple friends and I decided to make fun of the translated dialogue in _InuYasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask_ for the entirety of yesterday. Was fun.

On that note, school starts exactly a week from now. I'm not going to be finished with this fanfic by then. Fuck.


	12. Date

Yes, I got this up today! ... At 10:30 PM! Wheee!

NaLu fans are going to love these next few chapters.

* * *

**_Chapter 12 - Date_**

* * *

Everyone in the guild was ecstatic over Erza's awakening. The moment Makarov announced that she was up and fine, half the people in the foyer tried to run up to the infirmary. They were quickly blocked by their master's giant fist.

"We will leave her to get some rest in peace," the Wizard Saint had said. "That way, her recovery will be a smooth one."

That didn't stop them from throwing a party. A day later, and everyone was still high from the joy of learning that the Titania had finally begun to heal up. Of course, this _was_ Fairy Tail. They loved their Nakama as much as they loved merrymaking and causing chaos.

Most of the festivities were missed by Lucy. Not that she wasn't happy to see Erza awake – No, she was just as thrilled as the others – But she doubted she'd be a worthy asset to the guild's celebration when she had so many other things on her mind.

As of now, she and Levy were sitting in her apartment's kitchen trying to sort out the rest of the information they'd need. Levy was more into it than she was.

"Okay, so here's what we have so far." The bluenette began to list things vocally, crossing them off as she spoke. "They're both male, they both have pink hair and really dark eyes, they have the same allergies, they're both have some sort of immunity to lightning, hereditary or just from sheer training… and their blood type is the same. I wanna say they're both eighteen, but we don't actually know when Natsu's birthday is- Hey, are you listening, Lu-chan?"

"Hnn…?" Lucy's head snapped upwards, having previously been leaning on her arm. "Oh, sorry, Levy-chan…" Levy gave her a concerned frown from across the table.

"Lu-chan… Your mind is getting ahead of itself again, isn't it?"

"I can't help it…" Lucy slid back and rested her head on her arms. "It's just… The odds that Natsu and Irien are the same person just got a _lot_ narrower. I mean, AB negative is the absolute _rarest_ blood type there is, and they were already super similar _before_ we found that out-!"

"Calm _down_, Lu-chan," Levy interrupted her. "Even though it just seems more likely… Jumping to conclusions is never good."

"Seems like a pretty short jump to me," the celestial mage muttered.

"Well, you're likely to miss anyway if you keep doing this to yourself. At this rate, you'll start creating fake proof yourself."

"No I won't…"

"We'll see." Levy tapped her pencil on the table. "What's next on our investigation list? You're the one who was making a profile. You tell me."

"Let me check…" Lucy sat up straight and flipped through the notes she'd taken. She nearly choked on her own spit. "Uhh-! Well… I don't know how we're going to figure _this_ out without it getting awkward."

"What is it?"

"Umm… Where he's the most ticklish."

There was a brief pause before Levy snorted and burst out laughing. She pounded her right fist on the table while trying to cover her mouth with her other hand.

"You have to _tickle_ _Natsu_!? _Where_!?" Lucy's face turned its normal shade of embarrassed red.

"His sides… and stomach." Her answer only made Levy laugh harder.

"O-Oh, that's _rich_! Good luck with _that_, Lu-chan!"

"What!? Why _me_!?"

"What makes you think _I'm_ gonna do that? He's _your_ teammate! Plus, we're only investigating because of _your_ brain!" Lucy nearly growled.

"Levy, just so you know, I hate you right now."

"What, no _chan_ at the end?"

"No, I'm annoyed with you for giving me this job."

"Blame yourself for wanting a hands-on investigation. Pffth!" Levy chortled with laughter at her words. "I-I mean-! You know, no pun intended!"

"You're not helping yourself here, Levy."

"Aww, where's your sense of humor, Lu-chan?"

"It went out the door as soon as you said I have to be the one to tickle-"

"Oi, Lucy!"

The greeting caused both girls to fall out of their chairs. Lucy frantically climbed back to her feet, staring at the fire-breathing rosette with wide eyes.

"N-Natsu! _What_ are you-!? Where did you _come_ from!?" she exclaimed in surprise. She and Levy were scrambling to grab the papers before Natsu could see them. "The door to my apartment is _locked_, you know!"

"I came through your bedroom window, of course," Natsu replied nonchalantly, shrugging as if nothing was wrong. "That's the way I always come in, remember?" Levy's sly grin returned as she picked up the last paper and held it in her pile.

"So he _usually_ sneaks into your bedroom, Lu-chan?"

"I'm ignoring everything you say until further notice, Levy." The Solid Script mage just chuckled at her friend's response. Natsu had no idea what was going on between them. The sound of paws on the ground entered the room.

"Hiya, Lucy!" Happy greeted, hopping onto the chair. "Got any fish to eat?"

"Why would I have fish just sitting around my house?"

"Is that a no?"

"Yes."

"So when can we get going, Lucy?"

"Eh?" Lucy raised an eyebrow at Natsu's question. "What are you talking about?" Natsu folded his arms and raised a brow of his own, holding a very similar expression to Lucy's.

"You forgot already? You said you'd buy me lunch when I felt better."

"And are you feeling better?"

"You think the old witch would let me out of that place if I _wasn't_?" Well, he had her there. From what Lucy could see, Natsu was back to his old self. He was up, lively, and his face had been cleared of whatever nasty blemishes had adorned it beforehand; and he was _certainly_ right about Porlyusica. If the healing mage thought he was alright, he probably was.

"Wait, wait, back up a few steps here," Levy interrupted their discussion. She pointed at Lucy with wide eyes. "_You_ asked _Natsu_…" She pointed to said fire-breather now. "… On a _date_? And here I thought you said you didn't like him!"

"I _don't_!" Lucy shrieked. This was probably the fourth time in a short while that her face took on that same embarrassed shade of crimson.

"Wait, you don't like me?" Lucy felt a pang when she saw the Dragonslayer's incredibly hurt expression. Obviously, being the dense idiot as he was, he didn't understand what she and Levy were talking about and thought Lucy didn't even like him as a _friend_.

"Lucy's a meanie…" Happy muttered.

"I am not! _ARGH_!" Lucy very nearly crushed the papers in her hands out of frustration. She exhaled loudly, as a sign of stress. "Look, let me sort this out for you guys. Natsu, I _do_ like you. I like you as a friend. If I didn't I wouldn't bother to put up with you on missions."

"But you just said you _didn't_ like me-"

"That's because Levy's being an idiot."

"_Hey_!"

"I still don't get it…"

"Aye. Girls are weird."

"You said it, buddy."

"Oh god, why me…?" Lucy pleaded quietly. Levy covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a giggle.

"So I take it this _isn't_ a date."

"No, _really_?" Lucy turned sarcastic on her. "Levy, the only reason I offered to buy him lunch is because he wouldn't sit still long enough for Porlyusica-san to put that salve on his face. I told him I'd pay for one of his meals, and he instantly started behaving."

"So it's a _bribe_."

"_Finally_, you get it."

"Does that mean you're still gonna take me out for food?" Natsu asked in glee, his smile returning fully.

"_Yes_, Natsu. When do you wanna go?"

"Now."

"_No_!"

"Aww…" His smile faded. "But why?"

"I'm busy right now," Lucy said sternly. "With mission work." Natsu snorted derisively, and looked away.

"_Figures_ it's that stupid mission…" he muttered.

"How about you take me out instead, Lucy?" Happy asked.

"You're not the one who had to get that stuff slathered on your face, so no." Lucy huffed. "I said I'd pay for one of _Natsu's_ meals. I never agreed to buy _yours_ too. I'm going broke as it is, between my rent, other necessities, and buying groceries every time you two pop over."

"Whatever. Does this mean you aren't gonna take me out until this stupid mission of yours is over?" Natsu snorted. For the life of her, Lucy could not figure out why her teammate seemed to be so irritated by this. She chalked it up to the obvious reason – He absolutely loved food, and the thought of a free meal was irresistible.

"No, I can take a break sometime," Lucy reassured him. "Just not right now."

"What about tonight?" Levy checked. Lucy glanced at her in surprise. The bookworm shrugged. "I mean, sorting everything out can't take _too_ much longer, right? Besides, if we don't finish on time, I'll just take some of this stuff over to my house and work there."

"I like that plan," Natsu added. _Well, of course __**you**__ would,_ Lucy thought. _You just want your damn food._ She sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I give. Tonight sounds good." Natsu immediately threw his arms up and started cheering about getting a free meal.

"So I can't come?" Happy inquired.

"I already told you – I'm not paying for your food if you do."

"Aww…" Happy pulled a fish with a ribbon out of his pack. "Guess I'll go give this to Charle later, then!"

"Where did you even _get_ that from?" Levy asked. Happy scoffed.

"From a river, duh!"

"Right…"

"So how long until tonight?" Natsu asked.

"You're really impatient, aren't you?" Lucy mumbled. "Look, just go back to the guild and have some fun with the others. I'll come get you when we're done here."

"I can't wait here?"

"_Get out_!"

* * *

Needless to say, Lucy and Levy didn't get much work done even after Natsu and Happy left. Levy had spent most of the time teasing Lucy and asking her questions, and Lucy had just fired back with some shots about her and Gajeel. By six o'clock, the girls were tired of taunting each other and agreed that if they weren't going to get work done, they should just stop for the night.

"I'll be sure to let Gajeel know what's going on," Levy said. "You know, while you're out on your _date_."

"It's not a date," Lucy insisted for the hundredth time that day. The two girls were currently walking back to the guild so the Celestial Spirit mage could fetch Natsu. "And why do you have to tell Gajeel? You know he's just going to make fun of me if he gets the chance."

"No he won't," Levy replied. Then she thought about her response, and simply gave a nervous laugh. "Or at least… He won't do it _much_." Lucy pouted. Levy patted her on the shoulder. "Come on, Lu-chan; you know Gajeel has better things to do than make fun of you and Natsu."

"I guess…" There was a loud crash coming from ahead where the guild lied. The girls groaned.

"Looks like another fight…" Levy muttered.

"Either that, or they're enjoying themselves _way_ too much."

Not wanting to take chances, they hurried along to Fairy Tail and entered without hesitation. To no surprise, Gray and Natsu were battling it out with ice and fire once again. Half the guild was cheering them on, and the other half was stealthily trying to ignore them. Elfman was shouting about strength being the sign of a real man. Juvia was cheering her beloved Gray-sama on. Levy prodded Lucy in the arm.

"So are you gonna stop them, or…?"

"Give them a minute."

She did – And within that minute, two tables were overturned, another was burnt, and part of the floor had become solid ice. Lucy wanted to throttle the two cantankerous mages at the moment for all the damage they'd caused, but decided against it. There was no way the blonde wanted to get mixed up in that – Erza would be sure to discipline them later on, anyway. So, she settled on an easier way to get the fight to stop.

"Hey, Natsu!" Lucy called out, hands cupped over her mouth to help annunciate. "Are you ready to go!?" Almost instantly, the flames around the rosette's hands and feet disappeared. He smiled and ran towards her in excitement.

"Oh yeah! You're finally done, Luce?"

"Yup! Let's get going, now."

"Wait, what the _hell_ just happened?" Gray questioned. He frowned in confusion. "You're _done_? Just like that?"

"No shit, Ice Prick." Natsu stuck his tongue out at the Ice Make wizard. "I'd choose free food over you _any_ day."

"Free food?"

"Yeah! Lucy's taking me out for dinner!"

In the back of the bar, Mirajane had dropped a glass in shock. The shatter could be heard in the silence that had overcome the guild's foyer.

Natsu looked around in confusion. "Uhh… Why'd it get quiet all of a sudden?" Lucy smacked her forehead.

"Ugh. Just come on, Natsu…" She grabbed his wrist and began pulling him out the door. "Levy, you explain everything."

Levy pouted as she watched her best friend drag her teammate off. "Hmm. I guess she still must be a little angry with me, since she's still not calling me Levy-chan…"

"_Levy_!"

"Eh? Eep!" As soon as Levy turned back to the guild, she was accosted by a flurry of people who each had a mix of confusion, wonder, and disbelief on their faces. They each posed their own question, and Levy didn't know where to begin since they were all asking at the same time. Their voices began to cancel each other out after a while.

"Are those two seriously going on a _date_!?"

"How the hell did _Natsu_ of all people even _get_ a date!?"

"I bet Lucy asked him, that's how!"

"What!? What the hell would she _ever_ see in _Flame Butt_!?"

"Lucy has better standards than that..."

"Juvia also wishes to go on a date! _Gray-samaaaa_!"

"When can I start planning a wedding!?"

_Okay, __**that**__ was obviously Mira,_ Levy thought in amusement.

"Everybody, settle down!" the Solid Script mage yelled. "I'll explain everything in a minute, as soon as I can get some breathing room to work with!" Almost instantly, everyone backed up and gave Levy a space radius of three feet. She sighed, pushing her headband back slightly. "Alright, that's better… Now, let me explain…" The group all gave consecutive nods.

Levy stared at them, blinking at how attentive everyone seemed. She'd never seen them this quiet. Were they really that interested in whether or not Lucy and Natsu were going out? _Stupid question, Levy. Stupid question._

An evil impulse passed through her. _Well, I'd sure hate to disappoint them..._

"You guys are right." Levy smiled innocently. "Lucy asked Natsu out on a date."

The bluenette had to cover her ears to block out the volume of the shrieks of excitement and disbelief that followed her announcement.

* * *

If you asked Lucy if she was nervous at the moment, she would've said yes. Not because she thought of this as a date, though. The realization that she'd be paying for Natsu's dinner itself was a scary thought, but then she realized that with her luck, he'd probably either set something on fire or cause even more damage.

Dear god, why had she used _this_ as a bribe?

"Luce? O~i, Luce!"

Lucy's attention snapped forward, to where Natsu was standing in front of a restaurant and pointing.

"E-Eh?"

"Come on, Luce! Let's eat here!" Natsu ran back over to her and in turn, grabbed _her_ wrist and pulled her forward. "I used to come here all the time when I was younger! The owner's wife really loved Happy, so she always gave him fish for free."

"And you?" Lucy asked with a wry smirk. Natsu shrugged.

"I've never set anything on fire, if that's what you're wondering." It had been, and Lucy was relieved to hear that at least one place in Magnolia hadn't suffered at the pyro's hands.

"Alright, then," she said, looking up at the sign as they approached. "The Nestled Scale, huh? What kind of a name is that?"

"Who cares about the name? All I care about is the food!"

"And I care about price, so watch what you buy."

"Fine, fine," Natsu grumbled as he pushed open the door. When Lucy stepped in behind him, the atmosphere of the restaurant immediately reminded her of where she had treated Natsu and Happy in Hargeon – After she was almost enchanted by Bora. It was a nice welcome, and Lucy found herself smiling at the memories.

"I'd recognize that pink head o' hair anywhere!" a hearty voice called. An older man, likely to be in his late forties or early fifties, stepped up to the two mages and waved. "Haven't seen you in a while, boy! Where've you been lately?"

"Ah well, you know," Natsu replied ambiguously, scratching behind his head. "Things have been pretty hectic over at Fairy Tail for a while. Not that I'm complaining – I love our guild's excitement!"

"More like chaos," Lucy mumbled.

"Aww, don't be like that, Luce!" Natsu grinned. "Bonz, this is Lucy. She joined our guild a few months ago!"

"New member, eh?" The man now known as Bonz folded his arms. Lucy nodded nervously.

"Y-yes, sir," she greeted. "It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine, girl!" Bonz eyed Natsu with his own smirk. "So I take it _she's_ the reason your visits stopped? Can't blame ya, boy. She's quite a looker."

"Eh?" Both Natsu and Lucy made sounds of confusion. Lucy then realized that Natsu was still holding onto her wrist, and immediately tore it away from him in embarrassment.

"Y-You're mistaken, sir…" she said. "Natsu is my teammate, but… It's not what you think."

"Ah, I see." Something in his tone made Lucy think that he didn't. Bonz clapped his hands together, as if he were trying to get flour off of them. "Well, don't wanna keep you guys waiting! Take a seat anywhere, and I'll send someone over." Natsu cocked his head to one side.

"But you know what I like…"

"Yes, but I don't know what your _lady friend_ likes." Bonz whapped him on the head lightly before walking off. "Use your _brain_, boy…"

"I… Err…" Lucy stuttered. "He seems like a nice guy."

"He is!" Natsu chirped. "Come on, let's go sit somewhere."

* * *

Lucy honestly didn't expect to find the food that good. Heck, she hadn't expected to be eating at all. She thought she would just be treating Natsu. Evidently, from the smile on her face, she was glad that wasn't the case.

Bonz certainly seemed to know what he was doing back there in the kitchen. According to Natsu, everything he made, he made from _scratch_ – Which only served to stun Lucy into a few seconds of silence before she happily began eating her pasta again.

_Maybe this isn't so bad,_ she thought cheerily. _Natsu seems to be behaving, everything seems to be a reasonable price… And if I go over my budget, I'm going to hound Levy for giving the job of Tickle Monster and make her pay up._

_There_ was one thing she had been trying not to think about. Seriously – Tickling a fire-breathing pyro that was otherwise a human dragon? That just did _not_ seem like a good idea.

While she was contemplating what she should do next, a sight caught her eye.

"Hey, Natsu…"

"Hnn?" The aforementioned pyro stopped eating momentarily and swallowed what was in his mouth. "What is it, Lucy?" Lucy pointed to the table.

"There's a weird design here," she noted. "Kind of like a map." Natsu nodded.

"Yeah, Bonz put old maps of Fiore underneath the table's glass," he explained. "Says it gives this place a rustic nature… Whatever the hell that means."

"Really?" Lucy stared harder at the design, and sure enough the country of Fiore became visible. She smiled. "Wow, that's amazing!"

"It's just a _map_, Luce." Natsu shrugged. "But yeah. You can find Magnolia on there, Onibus, Era… I'm pretty sure we could find that damn forest, too."

"What 'damn forest'?" Lucy asked with a tone. "You mean the Mogari Forest? Are you still sore about that place, or do you just hate forests?"

"I don't hate forests," Natsu replied incredulously. "I grew up in one, remember? Let's see…" Natsu lifted his plate of beef – Ignoring the fact that it was still on fire, thanks to his request for such – And began searching the map. His eyes lit up when he managed to locate it. "Aha, got it! Over here!" He put his plate down to the side and pointed to a certain spot on the map. "That's Igneel's Forest!" Lucy chuckled.

"You know it's not actually called Igneel's Forest, right?"

"So what? It should be!"

"Hey, you."

Lucy and Natsu looked to the source of the interruption. It was a young man in a waiter's uniform who had midnight hair and blue eyes that were equally as dark. A tray of drinks was being carried on his right arm. Not surprisingly, he appeared to be addressing Lucy as he spoke.

"Me?" Lucy repeated. The boy nodded.

"The name's Tanblur," he introduced himself with a grin. "I work here part-time. What's your name?"

"L-Lucy… Just Lucy," the blonde replied. Her returning grin was not as wide as Tanblur's, but definitely more anxious. This guy _was_ cute, after all. She didn't want to say something stupid! Especially since she wasn't the one started the flirting this time! "I'm a Celestial Mage of Fairy Tail." Tanblur seemed surprised by this.

"No way, someone as pretty as you's a _mage_?" This only widened his grin. "Beautiful _and_ strong. Nice to know." Lucy found herself becoming slightly more comfortable with the waiter. She wondered why she was becoming warmer all of a sudden, and took it for nervousness... until she looked to Natsu briefly.

She wasn't sure since she was glancing out of the corner of her eye, but she could've sworn she saw Natsu actually _fuming_ – Smoke coming out of his ears and all. Tanblur seemed to follow her gaze, his smile dropping quickly.

"And who's _this_ ruffian?" he asked, with much less affection in his voice. Natsu folded his arms tightly and sat back, glaring at the waiter ardently.

"Natsu," he grunted. "I'm Lucy's _partner_." The way he put emphasis on the word 'partner' made Lucy cringe. Was he actually being _possessive_? Not Natsu, surely. He probably didn't even know what the word _meant_. Tanblur raised his eyebrow.

"Define _partner_," the waiter said. "Partner in the guild or partner in bed?" Lucy blushed furiously, from both embarrassment and anger. _Don't say anything stupid, don't say anything stupid, don't say anything stupid…_ she prayed inside her head, hoping Natsu would get the telepathic plea. Her hopes were dashed very quickly, as Natsu's denseness didn't allow him to fully understand the question.

"Both, obviously," the Dragonslayer answered. "I sleep with Lucy a lot."

Lucy just about died.

Tanblur looked genuinely surprised at his words. He did a double-take of the Fairy Tail pair, and shook his head sadly. "I feel incredibly sorry for her, then. One look at you and I can see you're mismatched." He rummaged through his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a piece of paper. He placed it in front of Lucy, his smile returning. "That's my address. Feel free to stop by if you tire of _this_ beast. I can guarantee, I'm more fun than the animal over there."

Lucy felt her opinion of the waiter change instantly. Not only was this guy insulting her teammate, but having his address already written clean out in his pocket? This guy was obviously just as much of a player as Loke was. She didn't feel like flirting with him anymore.

"Who're you calling an _animal_!?" Natsu yelled, standing up angrily in the booth. "And why would Lucy need _you_, anyway!? She has _plenty_ of fun with me!"

Lucy buried her face in her hands. Oh, how she wished the fire-breather would just keep his mouth shut and _not_ start a fight for once.

"I _do_ wonder about that," Tanblur mumbled. "Well, I have work to get done. My offer still stands, Lucy. I hope you'll come to your senses soon and drop the girly-haired brute." Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. This was going on _far_ too long for her liking.

"Okay, listen _here_, you perv-"

Listening soon became impossible for Tanblur, as Natsu's fist raked across the waiter's face. He sent him flying across the restaurant at an incredible speed, giving Natsu a sense of satisfaction when he saw the boy hit the wall. A couple of people looked at either of them in shock. Some got up to check if Tanblur was still breathing.

"I think I've heard just about enough," Natsu growled. "Keep your slimy self away from us!"

"_Naaaatsuuuuuu_…"

"What is it, Lu-? _Yee_!"

Lucy was standing behind the Dragonslayer, soaking wet and very much infuriated. The drinks that had been on Tanblur's tray didn't fly into the wall with him – They instead flew into the air, and landed all over the Celestial Mage. The livid expression on her face, in terms of scariness, was currently on par with one of Erza's death glares. Natsu gulped, meekly shrinking back into his seat.

This did _not_ bode well for him.

* * *

Natsu may seem OOC, but there's a logical - And rather stupid - Reason for him acting as such. Well, stupid to us. Logical to him. (Come on, you should know by now that I don't do OOC without reason... If at all.)

Also, pasta made from scratch is fucking **_delicious_**. My grandma used to make it when I was a kid, before she hurt her back. It was the best thing _ever_.


	13. Delightful Dilemma

Okay, in case you guys haven't noticed, I haven't exactly been keeping my "update once a day" schedule lately - And I apologize for that. But let's be honest, a new chapter nearly every day has been a treat. As school comes closer (And I find out that I actually had three books to read over the summer, not two) I begin to realize that it's going to be impossible to keep doing that. Please don't hold it against me for not keeping up, it's just that I need to have a life off the computer sometimes. (Haha.)

Also, recently I've just been making this stuff up as I go along. I know the major events I want to happen, it's just stringing them together that's a pain in the ass.

Anyway. Let's see what dabbling with an Indy Ploy has come up with this time.

* * *

**_Chapter 13 - Delightful Dilemma_**

* * *

"I can't… believe… you _did_ that…" Lucy muttered. "Seriously, what the heck were you _thinking_, Natsu!?" Natsu snorted and folded his arms.

"That guy was annoying me, that's all," he muttered irritably.

"Yeah, I could see _that_. _Why_ was he annoying you, though?"

The rest of the outing went just like Lucy thought it would. Natsu got chewed out by Bonz for hitting one of his employees, Tanblur was taken to the second floor of the building where Bonz's apartment was so he could rest, and she didn't get an apology from _either_ of the boys.

On the bright side though, once Bonz heard the full story, he decided to give them a discount on their food. Not free, because Natsu had still caused some damage, but still better than full price. Not to mention, Tanblur would be working overtime with no pay for the rest of the week for hitting on and insulting customers so blatantly.

She also got to slap Natsu across the face without him retaliating – And the redness was _still_ noticeable on his cheek. She wasn't sure if that was worth walking back to her home soaking wet, though. It wasn't so cold that she was freezing her butt off, but it was definitely uncomfortable going around wearing damp clothes.

"That bastard reminded me of Gray," Natsu snarled. Lucy blinked.

"Huh? Gray?"

"Yeah! Those damn droopy blue eyes, the hair, the cockiness, everything! And that just reminded me that I didn't get to finish my fight with the frosty bastard back at the guild!" Natsu glowered. Lucy sweated.

"You _really_ need to get a handle on that rivalry of yours…"

"No, Gray just needs to stop being an asshole."

"You ever think that maybe you _both_ need to get a hold on your tempers?"

"Nah, it's just him."

"Oh, for _heaven's_ sa-!" A loud sneeze cut her off. Natsu jumped slightly from the unexpected noise.

"Uh, you okay, Luce?" Lucy groaned loudly.

"Oh, _great_! You know, I'm going to _kill_ you if I catch a cold from your stupidity!"

"How would that be _my_ fault? You're the one who chooses to wear skimpy clothing."

"I wear it because it'll increase the chances of me getting a boyfriend!"

"And how's that working out for ya?"

"I… Well… _Hmph_!" Lucy huffed angrily and turned around, not wanting to face her teammate. "It was working _earlier_, until you punched that guy out!" Natsu frowned.

"And _that's_ the kind of guy you want? Man, you have lame standards." Lucy's vein pulsed in irritation. She turned back to Natsu, ready to slap him again.

"Oh, what would _you_ know about it _anyway_-!? Eh?" Lucy stopped yelling briefly, confused by what Natsu was doing.

While her back had been turned, the Dragonslayer had bent down on one knee, back turned to her, with his arms reaching behind and below him. He raised a brow.

"Well?" he said. "Get on."

"Wha-?" Lucy shot him a skeptical glare. "Are you asking to _carry_ me?"

"Not asking, _telling_," Natsu corrected. "Look, I'm warm, okay? So just get on my back, and I'll take you home. You'll be fine."

"No way," Lucy shot down the offer harshly. "You think I want people seeing us like that in _public_?"

"What difference does it make? We're friends, aren't we? There aren't many people out at night, anyway." Natsu rolled his eyes. "_Sheesh_, you're high maintenance."

"What did you say-!?"

"If you don't get on, I'm grabbing you and leaping roofs," Natsu warned her with a sly grin. "One or the other. Take your pick."

"You… _You_… Ugh. Fine." Lucy reluctantly walked over and lowered herself onto Natsu's back, wrapping her arms around his neck as he stood up. He cocked his head over his shoulder and smiled at her.

"See? Now is this so bad?"

"Shut up. I'm still mad at you."

"Pffth." Natsu scoffed as he began walking. "Whatever."

* * *

Lucy had buried her head into the back of her teammate's neck as soon as she spotted people walking down the streets. She and Natsu were likely to be spotted, to have silent questions asked about what was going on, and she didn't want to bother looking up to see the stares. She was embarrassed as it is.

Despite the awkwardness though, Natsu had been right about one thing – He was the living equivalent of a portable heater. Being a Fire Dragonslayer certainly did boost his body temperature beyond that of a normal human's; _that_ much she was aware of. She could practically feel the moisture of her clothes beginning to recede in place of dryness.

Against her previous judgment, Lucy allowed herself to relax against her teammate's back and let her eyelids droop. She would deny ever admitting this later on, but the warmth was actually very pleasant. It made her feel… safe.

_This is… It's almost nice, being carried by Natsu… _

And then she felt him jump.

Lucy yelped in surprise and hung on tightly. Had it not been for the fear of falling, she would've been screaming at Natsu by now to put her down. Suddenly, to the blonde mage's shock, they jolted to a stop.

"Oi, we're here," Natsu said.

"Huh?" Lucy cautiously opened her eyes and peered over Natsu's shoulder. In front of them was the window to her bedroom. She blinked. "Uhh, Natsu? Why are we coming in through here? I have a _door_, you know."

"Yeah, but what fun is that? And this is much easier and faster!" Natsu shook his head before opening the window and hoisting himself up. "C'mon, lighten up, Luce." Lucy ducked into his shoulder blades again, so she wouldn't hit her head when he entered her room.

"Well, forgive me for liking the _conventional_ method of entering someone's home," she mumbled. Natsu set her down on her bed, and smiled at her.

"You're forgiven, don't worry." He settled himself on the opposite end of the bed, crossing his legs as he sat. "I like your weirdness, Lucy! Don't you know that already?" Lucy shot him her own smile, though hers was much more sardonic.

"Yup, I'm the weirdo of the group," she played along, petting Natsu's head as if he were a small animal. "Between me, an ice mage with a stripping problem, a disciplinary swordswoman who can't handle the sight of the underwear I buy, an otherwise shirtless pyromaniac with pink hair, and a talking, flying, blue cat, _I'm_ the weirdo." Natsu shrank back.

"Stop… petting… me…" he muttered. For some reason, he sounded like he was struggling to get the words out. "_Seriously_."

"Aww, why?" Lucy continued her treatment of him, grinning even more now. "Does the big, bad dragon not _like_ affection?"

"Not… it…"

"Then what _is_ it?" Lucy wondered if he was embarrassed that he was being treated like a child. Natsu didn't answer – At least, not in words.

Once there was no talking, Lucy could hear a distinct sort of noise. It was almost like a vibration or a growl; and it was coming from her pyro teammate. With wide eyes, the Celestial Spirit mage nearly began backing up, in fear that Natsu might be angry with her for petting him. Then, astonishingly, she realized that it wasn't a growl at all. No, it was something much softer than that. The corner of her mouth twitched upward.

"Natsu, are… Are you _purring_?"

Natsu immediately grabbed her wrist and removed her hand from his head. "I-I was not!" he protested weakly. By now the redness from the slap he'd received had worn off, but it was easily replaced with a nice cherry shade of humiliation. Lucy chuckled.

"Oh, _really_?" She couldn't resist. She crawled closer to him and began stroking his head with her other hand. As her fingers made their way through his brightly-colored hair, Natsu made the noise again involuntarily, leaving Lucy with a satisfied smirk. "See? You _are_ purring." She clasped her hands together in glee at her new discovery. "That is so _adorable_, Natsu!"

"I'm not _adorable_, damn it!" he griped, frowning in annoyance. "And since when do you talk like Mira?"

"Aww, come on, Natsu…" Casually, Lucy leaned in to caress him again. "You don't think purring is adorable?" Natsu quickly grabbed her hand and pulled it to the side.

"No, I _don't_. Now stop it, or I'll do the same thing to you." His voice and face were so serious, Lucy couldn't help but laugh.

"I really think that's impossible, Natsu," he snickered, pulling her hand away from his grasp. "I don't purr when people touch my head like that."

"Really?" Natsu seemed almost surprised at this. He scratched his chin in thought. Suddenly, an evil grin made its way across his face that made Lucy instantly regret her earlier actions. "Maybe you don't make that noise, but I do know how to get you to do something similar!"

"What are you-? _Kyaa_!" And just like that, Lucy found herself desperately trying to fend off a tickling attack from her male teammate… And with little to no success, considering how strong he was and how incapacitated she'd been made.

Where the _hell_ had Natsu learned that she was ticklish!? And how was this similar to purring!?

Soon, Lucy had tears coming from her eyes from laughing so hard. _What the heck!? _she thought in the midst of her torture. _I thought this was supposed to be the other way around!_ Natsu was cackling loudly at her expense.

"_This_ is what you get for petting me!"

"O-Oh _yeah_!?" Lucy challenged, finding her opportunity in that millisecond. Summoning up what little strength she had left, she kicked Natsu backwards towards the end of her bed, stunning him just long enough for her to recover the advantage. Mimicking his attack pattern, the blonde mage ganged up on him and started brushing her fingertips lightly over his stomach and sides.

Natsu didn't stand a chance. Like his partner previously, he was now debilitated by his own laughter and Lucy's touch.

"S-_Stop_ it, Luce!" he cried in between breaths. "Th-This isn't f-_fair_!"

"You tickled me, now I'm tickling you." Lucy grinned viciously. Mission or not, this was just plain _fun_. "I'd say we're even."

"N-No, we-we're _not_!" Natsu grabbed her arms and used his knee to push Lucy onto the side and switch positions with her. Instead of her being on top of him, she was now nestled beneath him with her wrists pinned down on either side of her head. The smile he wore matched Lucy's sadistic one to near perfection. "Ha! Try to tickle me _now_!"

Lucy flushed. In this position, tickling was the _farthest_ thing from her mind. She stuttered as she tried to speak.

"N-Natsu… you… Wh-Wha...?"

"Well, _that_ escalated quickly."

Lucy practically turned to stone when she heard that voice. Natsu looked over towards her bedroom door, and blinked.

"Hey, Levy. What's up?" Lucy turned her head to the side a little, and saw Levy trying to stifle a laugh of her own.

"Well, I came by to let Lu-chan know that we forgot something on our, um… list…" Lucy knew what list she was talking about without having to think too hard. "But, I have to admit," Levy continued with a smirk. "I'm _much_ more interested in what's been going on in _here_."

"Oh, I'm just trying to teach Lucy a lesson," Natsu replied casually. Lucy would've smacked her forehead, had it not been for her hands being fixed to the bed. How could _one person_ get away with saying so many innuendos and not even _realize_ it!?

"I _see_…" Levy pursed her lips in amusement. "And do you do this with her _consent_?"

"She started it; I was just getting tired of her being in control." Okay, _that_ did it.

"_Get off_!" Lucy raised her leg up as quickly as she could manage, and kneed Natsu in between his legs. He curled up into a ball on her bed, trying to ease the pain. This time, the only noise that came out of him was a pathetic whimper.

"A-A-A-Aye…"

"Should I even _ask_?" Levy checked, trying not to laugh at the fire-breather's unfortunate luck. Lucy huffed, and got up off her bed.

"Not really… Now, help me drag him back to the guild. We can talk about whatever you remembered tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?"

"After tonight's events... I don't have much energy or patience left."

* * *

It went without saying that the next day was filled with the guys at Fairy Tail constantly making jokes at Natsu's expense. Seeing him being brought in by two girls, and then learning why he looked like he was in so much pain, was just about as unexpectedly hilarious as anything else that happened in the guild.

The previous night, when Lucy and Levy had hauled him through Fairy Tail's entrance, half of the men winced in horror – They knew just how much it could hurt being hit in the family jewels. The other half had just laughed. Now that it was daytime and Natsu was okay, every male was getting a kick out of the Dragonslayer's pain; every male except Natsu, of course.

From their corner of the guild, Lucy and Levy just laughed nervously.

"You think that was a little harsh, Lu-chan?" he asked. "Dragging him in looking like that?"

"Maybe… Can't do anything about it now, though."

"True… At least Gajeel's enjoying himself."

Gajeel was one of the primary people poking fun at Natsu, leaving the Fire Dragonslayer to seethe and stew in his own anger. Now that Erza could freely walk around the guild – Porlyusica noted that she was an exceptionally fast healer – The last thing he wanted to do was be put back into the infirmary by her hands for starting a fight with the entire male population of the guild.

It helped that Gray had left for a mission with Elfman and the team of Alzack and Bisca. Apparently, the particular monster slaying job that the semi-couple had wanted to go on wasn't going to happen if they didn't take two others with them – So said Master Makarov. One couldn't blame him for wanting his children to be safe.

"Anyway, here's the map, Lu-chan." Levy placed a giant map of Fiore onto their table. "I remembered that Sol mentioned dropping Irien in an unnamed forest on the other side of the country… And this," She pointed to a spot on the map. "Is the only forest without a proper name."

"Try telling that to Natsu," Lucy said without much enthusiasm. "He calls that place Igneel's Forest." Levy looked at her friend in surprise.

"Are you serious?" Lucy nodded. Levy sighed. "Well, then… That's _another_ checkmark… But how'd you know that, Lu-chan?"

"The place Natsu chose yesterday," Lucy answered calmly. "The owner used old maps of Fiore as decoration, and Natsu pointed it out…"

"Oh, I see." Levy eyed her friend carefully. "You seem rather indifferent towards these pieces of information, Lu-chan. Is something wrong?"

"Not really."

Lucy wanted to feel shocked at the location, but at this point, nothing really got her heart racing anymore. In her mind, she had more or less come to the conclusion that Natsu was indeed the child they'd been hired to find, so whatever other information they gathered didn't bring much of an alarm to her.

"I think we'd better start preparing for the worst, Levy-chan," the spirit mage mumbled.

"Hey, you're finally addressing me like you usually do… But the _worst_?" Levy's brows furrowed to the center of her forehead. "Define 'worst'."

"Trying to explain to Natsu that he has human parents after all," Lucy explained dryly. "Not only that, but remember Cobalt-san and Ervana-san? How are we supposed to tell them that their missing son has been sitting right here in Fairy Tail the whole time? I mean, what if they just walked in and saw Natsu sitting there, and-"

"Hey, who's that?"

Laki, who had been sitting nearly adjacent to them, was now pointing and staring at someone stepping shyly through the guild's open doors. Lucy and Levy followed her gaze, and found themselves frozen in fear.

Even from their far corner of the back of the room, the girls recognized the head of spiky white hair and demure posture instantly. It was Ervana Isdona.

* * *

I wanna say shit just hit the fan... But with what else I have planned, I believe it's be best to save that phrase for a future occasion.

Also, closets make great hiding places...


	14. Visitors

Wrote my first crackfic/oneshot last night after a dose of Nutella. It's called _Subjugation_. If you like both InuYasha and Fairy Tail, I suggest reading. You can probably guess what happens just from the title. If you don't watch InuYasha... Well, you'll still get a giggle out of it. (One scene in this chapter is very similar to a scene in that oneshot, by the way.)

Also, I did edit the scene in chapter 12 where Lucy leaves Levy to 'explain' the situation. I suggest rereading that before looking at this chapter, otherwise it won't make sense.

* * *

**_Chapter 14 - Visitors_**

* * *

"This entire mission was a bust," Gray muttered.

"You got that right," Elfman griped along with him as they walked out of town. "It wasn't a 'horde of monsters', it was just one little goblin! Not very manly at all."

"I find that weird, too…" Bisca muttered. "You think the job request was exaggerated a little?"

"A _little_?" Alzack snorted. "It was practically a different request! Are you sure we picked out the right one?"

"I thought we did, since master told us to take Gray and Elfman along…"

"At least the reward was the same," Gray tried to cheer them up. "A monster-slaying amount of Jewels for one little imp. Seems fine to me."

"I guess you're right," Alzack sighed. "I just wish this had been a harder mission… I really want to get some more difficult jobs done before the S-Class examination comes up."

"Don't worry, Al." Bisca patted her partner on the shoulder. "I'm sure we can find another job to take up in no time." Alzack scratched behind his head timidly.

"Y-You think so…?"

"Oh, _brother_…" Gray grunted from behind, making sure the pair couldn't hear him.

"Hey, what's up with that guy?" Gray looked up and saw Elfman pointing forward. Following the direction, the Ice Make mage spotted someone in a blue cloak standing in the middle of the road. Alzack lost his nervous complexion and eyed the figure suspiciously.

"I dunno, but… Doesn't it seem like he's… _waiting_?" The Fairy Tail group stopped walking, putting a distance of at least fifteen yards between them and the figure.

"Hey man, where you heading?" Elfman asked. "Doesn't seem like you're getting anywhere by just standing there."

"Pardon me," the figure spoke. It was undeniably male. "But would you all happen to be wizards from the Fairy Tail guild?"

"Yeah," Bisca replied curtly, getting ready to requip one of her guns at the first sight of danger. "What if we are?" The figure chuckled.

"Then you have just made my job that much easier."

From inside the cloak, the man pulled out a wooden staff with a clear, crystal orb clutched at the top. At this, Bisca and Alzack requipped their weapons and Gray and Elfman got down into defensive stances.

"Who are you?" Gray demanded loudly. "Answer me!"

"Audacious… Aren't you, ice mage?" the man chuckled. The inside of the orb was suddenly beginning to fill with a dark purple smoke. "Unfortunately, you do not have the right to learn my name." He raised the staff above his head, and yelled out, "_Sky Magic: Stave of the Void Emperor!_"

Beams of dark, tangible light shone from the crystal orb, scattering the group of mages in different directions. Gray stood his ground and activated his magic before they could be hit.

"_Ice Make: Shield_!" A wall of ice sprouted out of the ground in front of the suddenly-shirtless boy, as a means of protection for the whole group. The light crashed into it head-on. Instead of dissolving, however, it continued to drill into the shield as if it weren't there. Gray's eyed widened. "Wait, _what_ the-!?"

"Gray, get out of there!" Bisca yelled in warning. "It's not safe!"

"She's right!" Alzack jumped in. "I have a bad feeling about that light!" Instead of listening to the gun-toting pair, Gray just conjured up another two shields behind his first one.

"It's not going to get through my shields! Don't worry!"

"How sure you are of your own power," the man said. He held his free hand out, and snapped his fingers. "_Reverse_ _Sheng Magic: Winter Retreat_."

Gray's first shield shattered like nothing. The beams began breaking down his second one instantly – And, to his horror, it seemed like they were making progress faster than they had been with this first one.

"Wha-!? What's going on with my shields!? They're getting weaker!"

"It is not the shields that grow weaker, boy. It is _you_." The man's hand began to glow a sickly shade of green. "_Restraining Sheng Magic: Earth Dam_." At once, hands of soil and rock burst from the ground and latched onto Gray's arms. Gray struggled in their grip, shouting out multiple curse words as he did so.

"This is no time to be manly and stand your ground, Gray!" Elfman boomed. "Get out of there!"

"Like I'm not _**trying**_!?" the ice mage snapped back.

With their caster restrained and not at his full strength, the remaining shields were decimated by the dark light; and with no more protection and no way to conjure up more, Gray could only stare at the incoming beams with dread written across his face.

* * *

The edge of Madilia's teacup cracked, leaving it with a chip on its edge. The psychic looked down at it in disdain.

"Well… It seems even inanimate objects can sense the incoming tension." She set the cup back down on the coffee table, and stood up. She snatched her cloak from a nearby wall hook and draped it around her shoulders.

_Looks like I'll be contacting the small child sooner than I expected…_

* * *

The amount of sheer terror Lucy felt at the moment made her blood feel cold. Ervana was here? At the guild? No, that couldn't be. That was absolutely impossible. Why _would_ she be?

Yet, as the blonde mage stared at the older woman in the doorway, she realized that it _wasn't_ impossible – It was just extremely, tremendously horrible timing.

Lucy felt herself growing paler and paler by the second. This situation could not _possibly_ get any worse.

"_Luuucyyyy_…"

Oh, look who just _loved_ to prove her wrong.

Natsu slammed his hand down on their table, shocking Lucy and Levy back to their senses. His signature grin was not gracing his features at the moment. "What's the big idea, you two!? Why'd you have to go and drag me in here last night!? Everyone's takin' shots at me now!"

"_Natsu_!" Lucy shot up out of her seat, grabbed Natsu by his scarf, and ran off at an inhuman speed. "Come with me, quickly!"

"_Gyuaah_-!? Hey!" Natsu nearly choked from the scarf tightening around his neck. The guys who had been harassing Natsu – Plus other members who happened to be towards the back of the guild – Watched in interest as the Celestial Spirit mage pulled the Dragonslayer along. Natsu was still struggling to get his words out. "Lucy, wha-!?"

"Just shut up!" Lucy cut him off. The blonde silently gave thanks to the Spirit King when she spotted a nearby door in the hall. _A room I can hide him in! Yes! For once, my luck isn't horrible!_

Hurriedly, she pulled it open, tossed Natsu inside, and closed it again after going in herself. Just about every person watching the scene had open mouths, wide eyes, or some other indication of astonishment.

"Damn," Cana whistled low. "When Lucy wants a guy, she doesn't waste time."

"Didn't think she had it in her, to be honest," Macao mumbled in surprise. Wakaba scratched his head.

"N-No kidding…" the smoker agreed with a stutter.

Elsewhere in the guild, Juvia was completely ecstatic. Her eyes were practically shimmering from excitement. _Finally! Juvia no longer has a love rival! Ahh, how I wish Gray-sama were also here to celebrate this momentous occasion!_

Gajeel didn't even bother to correct them. Not only did he not care, but by the looks of things, he'd more than likely need to be around Levy since one of their clients was walking right towards her.

* * *

"G-Good afternoon, Ervana-san!" Levy stammered, bowing to the elder woman quickly. "I… I never expected to see you here at the guild!" Ervana's smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I just wanted pop in and see how things were going," she said, holding out a large envelope. "And I figured bringing your daily pay wouldn't hurt."

"Th-Thank you!" Levy took the envelope from her, flashing a grateful smile. Ervana glanced around the guild foyer, only mildly aware of the stares she'd been getting since she walked in.

"So where are your teammates?" she asked confusedly. "I thought I'd find Gajeel-san and Lucy-san here as well…"

"I'm here." Gajeel came up from behind and snatched the envelope from Levy. "This our pay? Great." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder, trying to fight back a sarcastic smirk. "Bunny Girl just made off with Pinky. Don't know why."

"Umm…" Ervana frowned. "I'm sorry… 'Bunny Girl'? 'Pinky'?"

"Err… Gajeel likes to make names for people," Levy said. "He calls Lu-chan Bunny Girl."

"I'm not sure I want to know why…"

"Yeah, it's better if you don't know."

* * *

_Stupid, stupid, __**stupid**__!_ Lucy smacked herself repeatedly in her mind. _I… am such… an __**idiot**__! How did I __**not**__ realize that this was a __**closet**__!?_

"Uhh… Luce? Why'd you pull me in here?"

Lucy felt herself beginning to sweat, from both nerves and the heat Natsu was giving off in such a close space. Biting her lip, she cautiously turned away from the door to face her friend. This proved difficult, as there was no light in the closet aside from the small amount that came from the crack beneath the doorway.

"I- Err- Well…" Lucy shifted her balance from one foot to the other, trying to think of an excuse for unceremoniously tossing them both into there. "I… … Oh, right. I wanted to explain something to you."

"In a closet?"

"Yes."

"You're a weirdo, Luce."

"I know."

"So what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Um… About dragging you here last night." She heard Natsu snort.

"Yeah, seems like a good topic…" he muttered, obviously still spiteful over being humiliated. Lucy rubbed her temporal.

"Look, Natsu… I'm sorry I did that. I was just super exhausted from our dinner, and that incident with Tanblur…" She heard Natsu growl at the name – Certainly not a purr _this_ time around. "Not to mention how tired I was after all that fooling around we did. You _seriously_ know how to tire someone out; and by the time Levy walked in and found us in that… _position_… I was already worn out, and didn't feel like dealing with anymore."

"So you kick me down there and then drag me all the way to the guild? Not even to my _house_?"

"Okay, so maybe I went a _little_ overboard… Guess I hurt your pride pretty bad. Sorry 'bout that."

"That ain't the _only_ thing you hurt…"

"Right, right… I'm also sorry about kicking you like that." There was a sound of shifting, indicating that Natsu's arms probably weren't folded anymore.

"Yeah, fine… Now tell that to the guys out there who keep making jokes."

"I will… Soon."

"Not now?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Just because."

"Weirdo."

"You said that already."

"Whatever."

"… … …"

"… … …"

"It's dark in here."

"Want me to use my fire-?"

"_No_!"

* * *

"It's nice to hear that you've been making progress with the search, Levy-san," Ervana said. Her smile seemed much more genuine now. "I knew we could count on Fairy Tail."

"Of course you can!" Levy exclaimed. "I promise, we'll be done very soon. There are just a few more things we need sorted out."

"That's wonderful." Ervana clasped Levy's hands in her own. "I apologize for coming on such short notice. I _knew_ I should have contacted you first… I hate to have caught you at a bad time-"

"Nonsense," Levy interrupted her. If she were lucky, maybe Ervana wouldn't hear the tenseness in her voice. "It's been nice seeing you after so long!"

"Feh," Gajeel grunted. "Talking like you're old buddies…" Levy stuck her tongue out at him childishly. Ervana just laughed at their exchange.

"Well, I must get going…" The white-haired woman pulled her hands back and folded them in front of her. "I may have closed my bookstore for today, but I still have a deliveryman to catch. I'd best be on my way. But, um…" Ervana pointed behind them. "What's going on over _there_?"

Levy and Gajeel turned and saw a good portion of the guild members piled around a closet door suspiciously. After another couple of seconds, everyone jumped back and away. Levy sweated.

"Don't worry about it, Ervana-san… Our members just like to keep tabs on everything that's going on around them."

* * *

Several Fairy Tail mages were lined up with their ears open and their mouths gaping. Careful not to make any noise, they took steps back until they were situated at their respective tables again.

"Holy hell…" Cana cursed.

"'F-Fooling around'?" Erza stuttered, face going red from the mental images her mind was conjuring up.

"Juvia is scandalized!" the first-person water mage cried. "Yet Juvia is also happy that Lucy-san is no longer a contender for Gray-sama's heart!"

"I don't get what's going on," Happy said. He was the only one.

"I-I don't believe it…" Macao stumbled over his words. "I mean… Lucy and _Natsu_? Natsu, of all people?"

"There's no way that idiot could ever manage to get laid," Cana mumbled to herself, taking another swig of alcohol.

"And with a cute girl like Lucy, no less…" Wakaba added.

"Now, Lucy didn't actually say they did that," Macao said, trying to stop himself from sweating over the situation. "She just said they were… Y'know, 'fooling around'."

"True, but…" Juvia was stuck between euphoria and embarrassment. Erza was practically frozen solid.

"Will someone tell me what everyone's getting worked up over?" Happy tried again. Once more, he was ignored.

"Wait, what does Mira think of this?" Cana looked over her shoulder. "Hey, Mira!"

Mira was too busy floating on her own personal Cloud Nine to hear anything.

"Right…" Cana sighed.

"I was betting on Lucy and Gray, to be honest," Jet muttered.

"Same here," Droy agreed. Suddenly, both boys found themselves under the heated glare of Juvia Lockser.

"_**What** was that_…?"

"N-N-Nothing, ma'am!" the Shadow Gear boys cried, huddling together.

"Uhh… Guys?" All the eavesdropping members turned to Levy and Gajeel at once. Levy waved to them nervously. "Umm… What are you guys doing?" Simultaneously, the group pointed to the closet door.

"L-Lucy and N-Natsu… Th-They… I-I can't…" Erza stuttered violently before fainting.

"Gah! Erza's down for the count!" Happy exclaimed.

"L-Levy…" Jet and Droy whimpered.

Levy's hand slid down her face in exasperation. It was pretty obvious that whatever Lucy and Natsu had been talking about had been overheard by the nosy Fairies, and was taken _way_ out of context. _Why_ must everyone in this guild jump to conclusions? _Maybe it was a bad idea to lie to them and say those two were on a date last night…_

"Are you still gonna let 'em think Bunny Girl and Pinky are together?" Gajeel muttered in question.

"I'm _seriously_ rethinking my decision to joke around with them…" Levy stalked past the group and walked towards the closet, taking note of the various different intakes of breath from her friends. Rolling her eye skywards, she knocked on the door a couple times and softly said, "Lucy? Ervana-san left. You can get out of there now."

"_Thank god_!" Levy stepped away just in time for Lucy to kick the door open, panting and sweating. She groaned. "Do you know how _hot_ it was in that little enclosed space!? I mean, I _knew_ Natsu's body temperature was way above normal, but _still_!" While she was busy wiping the sweat from her brow, the blonde noticed an inordinate amount of the guild's members staring at them. "Uhh, Levy-chan? What's up with them?"

As Levy turned back around to see, everyone instantly went back to what they were doing before Ervana had stepped in. The bluenette laughed nervously. "Oh, you know… Something weird is always happening here in Fairy Tail…"

"No kidding," Natsu grunted, stepping out of the closet behind his teammate. "So why does everyone look nervous all of a sudden?"

"L-Like I said, Natsu…" Levy chuckled. In her head, she was panicking _much_ more. _Oh, man… I think I'd better clear this up before Lu-chan finds out and kills me mercilessly._ Suddenly, a child's voice interrupted the tension between them.

"Has anyone seen master?" Wendy came running up to the group, looking out of breath. "It's important, you guys!"

"What's wrong, Wendy?" Levy asked.

"That psychic contacted her again," Charle explained, floating by. "Apparently, she felt a bad premonition and is coming right over."

"Y-Yeah!" Wendy trembled. "And… And she said it had to do with a group who went out on a job…"

"A group…?" Lucy repeated. Her brown eyes grew wide at the implication. "Wendy, you don't mean-!?"

"That could be Bisca and Alzack!" Erza exclaimed, leaping to life. "Elfman and Gray were sent with them to slay some monsters!"

"I… I don't know for sure!" Wendy cried. "Madilia-san only mentioned a group, nothing else… Are they the only group out right now?"

"Yes, they are," Makarov answered from above. The miniature guild master leapt down from the second floor, touching down on the ground lightly. "I specifically sent Elfman and Gray because I didn't want Bisca and Alzack to be alone on that mission. However… If Madilia-san was given a premonition, then sending two more to ensure safety may not have been the wisest decision."

"You cannot blame yourself for what has happened, Makarov Dreyar." Everyone jumped halfway out of their skin when they saw Madilia appear behind the master. Madilia bowed. "I apologize for the shock," she said. "But it is a matter of importance that you go and fetch the four who left on that mission. They will not make it back to Fairy Tail on their own otherwise."

"Wh-What happened to them…?" Levy asked nervously. "Are they in danger?"

"Not immediate danger... Not anymore," Madilia replied. "But the longer you sit here and do nothing, the longer it will take for them to recover."

"_Recover_?" Macao repeated incredulously. "From _what_?" Madilia didn't answer. She merely pointed towards the front of the guild where Reedus sat.

"The artist can conjure up a carriage of sorts, yes? You will need him to come along."

"I see…" Makarov frowned. "_Reedus_!" Reedus jumped in his seat before looking at the Wizard Saint expectantly. "Reedus, I'm going to need you for a recovery! Be ready _now_!"

"Oui!" the artist replied, cleaning up his canvases and supplies. Makarov turned to the youngest Dragonslayer next.

"Wendy, you're coming along, too. Your healing skills may be needed very soon, and I don't want to wait until we're all back at the guild."

"Y-Yes!" Wendy nodded.

"Can't we come _too_?" Lucy pleaded.

"She's right!" Erza added. "They are our fellow guild members, and Gray is our teammate! We should be able to go!" Makarov narrowed his eyes at the Titania sternly.

"Erza, you are still in no shape to leave the guild," he stated. "Porlyusica's orders were to allow you to walk around, but not to put yourself under any stress. I'm sorry. As for you, Lucy," He turned to the spirit mage next. "Again, I apologize. But there must be as little people as possible going, since there's going to be four more coming back with us."

"I understand…" Lucy and Erza chimed dejectedly. Makarov nodded, and walked towards the entrance.

"Reedus, Wendy, come! There isn't a moment to spare!"

* * *

Derp. That last scene was hell for me to write. Sorry if it feels rushed.


	15. Pairs and Pairs

Grah. This probably isn't going to end until chapter... I dunno. Somewhere in the twenties. I can't even judge.

* * *

**_Chapter 15 - Pairs and Pairs_**

* * *

Suffice to say, the entirety of Fairy Tail was in uproar when Makarov, Reedus, and Wendy returned with their injured guild mates hours later.

All four of the group were resting up in the infirmary, with Makarov and Madilia watching over them. Bisca and Alzack were more or less fine, just unconscious and bruised. They groaned and winced when Madilia looked them over, so she deduced they'd be all right as long as they rested. Gray and Elfman were another story. Both boys were pale as ghosts and completely down for the count, no matter where or how hard the psychic prodded them. They weren't hurt physically, but they weren't emitting even an iota of magical power. What really frightened Makarov was that it hadn't been a Drain spell to do this to them – So said Madilia.

"This is not Air Magic," the psychic told him. "The type of magic is Sky Magic, and if I had to guess… The spell would be Stave of the Void Emperor – A surefire way to steal someone else's magic and use it for your own gain."

"This was Koda's doing," Makarov deduced easily. His voice was stern and flat, but anyone who knew him could tell that he was ready to blow a gasket any minute. "Is that what you're trying to tell me?" Madilia nodded.

"I recognize his handiwork. Although from what I can sense… the power of the spell has increased. No doubt Koda has already infused the scarlet-haired woman's false eye with his staff in order to do so."

"Will they be alright?"

"It is… difficult to say. Unlike Drain, their life force will not deplete. However, I am unsure of whether or not we can get their magic back." Makarov massaged the bridge of his nose.

"That's not very good news… But I must thank you once again for your help." Madilia smiled grimly.

"You seem to be holding your anger down very well, Makarov Dreyar," she noted. "I can sense an immense amount of fury within you, yet your expression shows the opposite."

"I can't act as I usually would." The regret in the master's voice was heavy. "I can't just go and take down the enemy this time. If I do, I might not make it out of there with my magic intact… And my children wouldn't, either… Oh, spirits above. When the guild found out about what's happened, they'll want to charge head-first into this mess."

"You must not let them do so," Madilia warned the old man harshly. "If they go after Koda without knowing what he is capable of, you will not have any wizards left to call this a guild!"

"I didn't _plan_ on letting them go!" Makarov snapped angrily, letting his rage surface for a brief moment. "Do you see me as such a _fool_? I want this matter settled before it gets out of hand, but I will _never_ let my children risk their lives or their magical abilities for that sake!" Madilia held her ground, not even wincing as the man yelled at her.

"I know you are no fool," she replied. "I was merely warning you. Anyway…" Madilia looked to the four mages who were lying on the infirmary beds. "Unexpectedly, the damage done to your children is purely physical. I'm surprised none of them ended up like the other woman. I would have thought for sure that if Cyander were working with Koda…"

"That they'd be together during the crimes," Makarov finished for her. "Do not forget: They may be working separately to cover more ground." The Wizard Saint pressed his lips into a thin line. "We'll have to be extra cautious from now on. Not only that, but I'll need another way to reach you aside from Wendy. If she's not available at the moment – Or worse, heaven forbid – Then you won't be able to contact me."

"That is true…" Madilia hummed. "I suppose just walking into your office unannounced will have to do."

"_Please_ knock first before you do. I don't think my heart can take many more surprises, and I want to keep living for as long as I can."

"You'll be surprised, Makarov Dreyar, at just how long you'll live…" the psychic mumbled. She walked over the side of Bisca's bed, and sat in a chair beside it. Feeling an ounce of uncertainty coming from Fairy Tail's master, she explained, "Need I remind you that I was a physician in a guild for years?" She glanced over her shoulder. "The green-haired woman and her lover are battered and bruised, but there are no more complications than that. I am capable of healing them. Calling Porlyusica will be unnecessary, unless you wish to incur her wrath." Makarov raised a brow.

"But surely Porlyusica will be able to help cure Gray and Elfman…?"

"I'm afraid not." Madilia shook her head. "It is not that I doubt her skills… It is just that, as familiar as this type of spell is to me, even _I_ cannot fathom a way to return one's magic without having it at hand. I will do my best to heal them all up, but there is no hope for them as wizards if we cannot get a hold of the lacrima where their magic is being stored and used."

"I see…" Makarov groaned. "I suppose I must go break the news to the rest of my children. They're probably confused and angry, and ready to go on a rampage by now…"

"I know who you are thinking of when you say that, Makarov Dreyar, and I quite agree. However, before you go…" Madilia pulled a notepad and a pencil seemingly out of nowhere, and began scribbling on it. Makarov watched in anticipation, as he'd never seen the psychic write anything down. She usually just said things flat out. Madilia finished quickly, and handed the pad over to the guild master. He looked at it with bewilderment.

"What… _is_ this?"

"Something that will be a good idea."

* * *

Makarov took his time explaining the situation to his children, trying to get them to understand every detail. He was hardly surprised when a certain fire user leapt to his feet with his fists flaming.

"Are you _kidding_ me, Gramps!?" Natsu yelled. "Why aren't we preparing to go kick this guy's ass right _now_!?"

"I'm with Natsu!" Cana agreed, holding up her glass of beer. "Let's chase this guy down and give him a piece of our mind!" More people started to murmur, seeing this as a good idea.

"Kick his butt!" Romeo chirped, only to be quickly silenced by his father.

"See!? I'm not the only one who thinks so!" Natsu smacked his open palm with his fist. "Let's go after this bastard and knock him outta' Fiore!"

"_You will do no such thing_!" Makarov boomed, slapping Natsu into the nearest wall with his enlarged hand. The other guild members shivered from fear, instantly shutting up. No need to anger the giant further. Makarov pulled his hand back, shrinking it back down to its normal size. "Were you not _listening_, Natsu!? We cannot just storm through and take names like we did during the war with Phantom Lord! Letting our emotions be our pilot will be the death of us!"

"But we can't just sit around and do _nothing_!" Mirajane protested.

"Juvia wishes to deal death to the man who _dared_ to take away Gray-sama's beautiful ice magic!" Juvia joined in angrily.

"Wouldn't it be better to take care of the bastard before anything else happens?" Gajeel pitched in, less enthusiastic but still strong towards the topic.

"It would be, but I will not risk the lives of you – My children – Either. Which is why until further notice, nobody will be taking up missions." This announcement led to a similar outrage, from people who needed money for rent, for food, and for other necessities.

"But if we don't go on missions and get paid, the guild will suffer as well!" Macao said.

"And what about those already _on_ missions?" Laki asked. "Like the Thunder God Tribe!"

"Yeah! Since they're some of the strongest Fairy Tail members, wouldn't they be targeted as well!?" Levy added.

"I'm well aware of those already on missions," Makarov replied calmly. "But like I said – I will not risk your lives or your magic. We will have to hope that Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen make it back to the guild without incident. I'm sure Madilia-san will inform me if something happens. That being said…" The old master held up the pad he'd received earlier. "By her suggestion, none of you are to be alone at any time. You are to partner up, never be out of each other's sights, and in some cases you may even room with each other." Another couple of protests made their way around, though most people thought it was a good idea. "No strong opposition? Very well. I shall begin listing the groups that Madilia-san wrote down…"

Makarov read off the names of those who were paired up, and stated whether they were to room together or not. The groups that had a mix of both girls and boys obviously weren't sharing apartments or houses, but they were encouraged to find someone of their gender to room with anyway.

Lucy, miraculously, was paired up Erza. She was quite relieved by this – The Requip mage was fairly sane, and wouldn't cause as much trouble as her other teammates did. Plus, they were good friends. She could handle rooming with her.

Nobody had any real problems with who they were paired up with – Aside from Jet and Droy complaining that they had to be with Natsu instead of Levy, and Juvia despairing over being paired up with Cana instead of her beloved Gray-sama. When Makarov was done reading off the names, however, one bold person bothered to raise their hand and say,

"Wait, why aren't Lucy and Natsu paired up?"

Everyone in the guild turned to Krov in surprise.

"I mean, they're doing it anyway," the rat-like boy said, shrugging carelessly. "So why not?"

Lucy went red again. Levy froze in fear. Gajeel began laughing his ass off.

"Well, that's true…" Macao scratched his chin in thought.

"Why didn't that psychic put them together, anyway?" Wakaba thought aloud. "I thought she knew everything, so why wouldn't she know _that_?"

"Doing what?" Natsu asked. Everyone face-faulted at the question. Makarov was making a _very_ interested face.

"Is this _true_?" he chuckled, looking between Lucy and Natsu with curiosity. "I must say, I'm a little surprised that you'd both be so bold! Tell me, how long has this been going on?"

"There's _nothing_ going on!" Lucy shrieked. "Natsu and I are _teammates_, you guys! Partners! We are not romantically involved in _any_ way, shape, or form! We're _not_ a couple, and we're _**definitely**_ not _sleeping_ together!"

"We do sometimes," Natsu corrected her. "Your bed is really comfy."

"_SHUT UP_!" Lucy yelled. "What you're _saying_ and what you _mean_ are two _totally_ different things!"

"How so?"

"_UGH_!" The spirit mage just wanted to crawl under a rock. "You mean it in an innocent way, and everyone _else_ thinks that we…! Oh, god, I can't even _say_ it!"

"How is sharing a bed '_innocent'_?" Cana snorted.

"Because nothing even _remotely_ sexual happens!" Lucy yelled. "Natsu just has a really, _really_ bad habit of breaking into my room and crawling into bed with me sometimes – Even after I tell him to go sleep in his _own_ bed!"

"But yours is so comfy…" Natsu said. "I get the best sleep at your house!" Slowly, but surely, everyone was beginning to see the mix-up.

"So, wait…"

"He sneaks into your house…"

"Climbs in your bed…"

"Sleeps…"

"… And that's _it_?"

"_YES_!" Lucy groaned. "_Finally_, you all get it! Where the heck did these rumors even _start_, anyway!?"

At once, the guild pointed their accusing index fingers towards Levy, who had been trying to make a silent escape. The bluenette froze when she felt every pair of eyes in the room aimed at the back of her head. Slowly, she turned around, a panicky smile on her face.

"Eheheheheh…"

"_**Leeeeevyyyyyyy**_…"

Levy sprinted out the guild doors. Lucy followed, brandishing her whip and yelling obscenities not fit for a young woman to say.

"Should've known it was too unbelievable to be true…" Macao muttered.

"Like I said," Cana smirked. "There's no _way_ that idiot could ever get laid."

"Especially with a hottie like _that_," Wakaba agreed.

"I'm still not sure what's going on," Happy said, floating over to Natsu.

"Me neither, buddy," the fire-eater mused.

* * *

It soon became very clear to Lucy that Levy was a faster runner than she was. Not that she took offense to this – No, the bluenette was shorter, had a smaller build, and didn't have much going on in the chest department. It was obvious why she could outrun the spirit mage.

This fact didn't help make Lucy's annoyance go away, however.

"Ugh… That… stupid… bookworm…" the blonde panted tiredly as she trudged down the hall to her apartment. _I can't believe she lost me that easily! Argh…! I'll have to kill her next time I see her at the guild._ Lucy wiped her brow of sweat before unlocking her door. All she wanted to do was take a bath, relax, figure out a way to put all the information for their mission together, and go to bed early.

She wasn't exactly expecting Erza to be standing at her kitchen counter wearing nothing but an apron with her hair in a ponytail.

"Oh, welcome home, Lucy," she greeted the blonde calmly.

"Er-Erza! _What_ are you _doing_!?" Lucy shrieked, debating whether or not she should look away. Erza turned around, shielding her backside from view. Lucy would've been relieved, had it not been for the knife in the redhead's hand.

"I thought it would be nice if I made us an early dinner," Erza explained with a smile. "Pardon me, but I've taken the liberty of using your kitchen."

"N-No, I don't mind… but…" Lucy hesitantly pointed at the pink apron. "Why are you wearing _that_?" Erza looked down, eyeing her apron as if she saw nothing wrong.

"You don't like it?" she asked. "I was told that most women wear this sort of thing when cooking."

"… Did the guys tell you that?"

"Yes, why?" Lucy's facial expression gave more away than words. Erza's face suddenly darkened, red from fury and humiliation. "Those _**idiots**_." She stabbed the counter with the knife, scaring Lucy witless. "They shall _pay_ the next time I see them."

"Er-Erza…? You're… cracking the countertop."

"Huh?" Erza looked down at where she held the knife, and blinked. "Ah. My mistake, Lucy." The Requip mage tugged the knife, pulling out of the crack and setting it down on its side. "Anyway, how does vegetable stir-fry sound?"

"Great, but… Don't set anything on fire, please."

"Why would I do that?"

"… Sorry. It's become a reflex to ask that whenever someone comes over, now."

"Natsu?"

"Natsu."

* * *

It wasn't a bad dinner, Lucy had to admit. Erza may not have been the greatest chef, but what she made was certainly edible. Maybe Mirajane had been giving her fellow S-Class mage some lessons in their spare time? Lucy chuckled at the thought.

What she really could have done without was Erza taking a bath at the same time she was. She knew the swordswoman always took Makarov's orders seriously, but that was going a little overboard. They just had to stick with each other, not _to_ each other! Not only that, but Erza trying to initiate girl talk was… A little odd. As in, 'asking what battle gave has given you the most satisfaction during and after' odd.

_Oh well. At least I can relax now._

"Lucy, what's this?"

_Spoke too soon._

Lucy suffered from a short heart attack when she saw a straight-faced Erza looking through the papers on her desk. The same papers she and Levy had been going through and sorting out. The papers from both their clients, and the ones they'd written up themselves. The worst part was, Lucy's entire documentary of the comparisons between Natsu and Irien were also being scanned.

"I-I can explain!" the blonde stuttered. "Y-You see, Levy-chan and Gajeel invited me on this mission to find this couple's missing son, and they gave us a lot of info to work with, so me and Levy-chan got to separating it and- _Don't look at that_!" Lucy rushed over and snatched Reedus's drawing away from Erza, hoping her teammate hadn't seen too much of it.

"… Lucy."

"Y-Yes…?"

"_Give me the paper_."

"Y-Yes!" Lucy reluctantly handed the drawing back to Erza, afraid of what the Requip mage might do to her if she disobeyed. Erza's facial expressions changed multiple times as she stared at the image – Recognition, confusion, surprise, and understanding coated her features within seconds.

"Lucy… The boy you're looking for… He's…?" Lucy shuffled her feet.

"I… Well…" she stumbled over her sentence. "It's just… Erza, everything _fits_." The desperate tone in her voice was back, but the blonde didn't catch it. "Everything we've learned and seen from the day we came back from Altivian, everything we've looked into… Erza, it can't be anyone else!"

"Lucy, don't get so worked up." Erza put her open palm on her friend's shoulder, firm but comforting. "Just explain everything to me slowly and clearly, and don't run out of breath before you do. I'm very curious about this mission of yours, now." The S-Class wizard moved her friend to her bed, and sat her down. Lucy took in a few breaths, attempting to calm herself before speaking.

"Alright, Erza… I'll try."

* * *

The entire time Lucy was explaining the situation, Erza was quiet and thoughtful. The Requip mage drank her friend's words in silence, pondering everything within her own mind. She stopped to ask a question once, about the tickling incident. An explanation later and Erza finally understood what Lucy had meant by 'fooling around' when the guild had been eavesdropping. The redhead nearly blushed out of sheer embarrassment for even thinking that her friends could be engaging in something as atrocious as copulation. She told Lucy this, and the blonde promptly told her never to bring that up again. When the spirit mage's account finished, Erza was looking serious again.

"You truly believe Natsu is this boy, don't you?" she inquired.

"You have no idea," Lucy mumbled. "Erza, it's getting to the point where if Natsu turns out _not_ to be Irien, I'm going to go _crazy_; I mean, there's absolutely no _way_ all that matching information could be coincidence."

"I quite agree."

"… Wait, you _do_?" Lucy stared at Erza in shock. Erza nodded.

"I'm not one for believing in coincidences," she stated plainly. "Although I'm curious as to how you're planning on connecting the dots – Telling your clients and Natsu about each other, respectively."

"I _know_," Lucy moaned. "I even had a little notebook and everything where I was writing down- _CRAP_!" Lucy shot up from her spot on the bed, looking wild with fear and panic. "My purse! I left it at the guild!"

"You can get it tomorrow," Erza said, raising a brow at the younger girl's reaction. Lucy shook her head.

"That's not it! That notepad I mentioned is in there, and it has most of the information on Irien and my theory written down in it! If someone else spots that, I'm going to _die_!" Lucy shuffled towards her closet, grabbing and throwing on a sweatshirt and sneakers. "I'm going back to the guild to get it."

"I'll come with you," Erza said, requipping into her usual armored attire.

"It's okay, Erza…" Lucy sweated. "I can go get it myself."

"But the master insisted that we always be-"

"I know what Master Makarov said, but the guild isn't that far of a walk! I can be there and back in a few minutes! Just sit and relax for now."

"Lucy-!"

The celestial mage was already running out the door before Erza could protest any further.

* * *

A few minutes may have been an exaggeration. It didn't take long for Lucy to run to the guild, but trying to find her purse was another thing altogether. She remembered exactly where she'd placed it – On the bar – But it was no longer there. A twinge of alarm passed through her, fearful that someone may have taken off with it; but the purse was clearly hers, as it was marked, and nobody in the guild would ever bother to snatch something from one of their own.

Well, nobody except Natsu and Happy.

... ... ...

Oh no.

Lucy began panicking on the inside. _What if those idiots took it!? What if they looked inside!? Argh, those nosy morons have probably gone through it by now! I'm screwed!_

A hand on her shoulder jolted her out of her panic. She wanted to yell for help, but another hand made it over her mouth before she could even attempt it.

"Shh," a female whisper came. "_Don't_. _Scream_." Lucy blinked. _Erza…? _When her captor felt like she wouldn't make any loud noise, she released her.

"Erza, what are you _doing_ here?" Lucy murmured. "I told you I'd be fine-"

"Not as fine as you think," Erza cut her off. "I was following to make sure you wouldn't get hurt, but then I sensed a strange aura coming from the guild."

"From here?"

"Yes." With a glower, the scarlet-haired woman added, "And I know exactly who it is."

"You do?" Erza nodded.

"Come with me; just remember to be quiet."

Lucy followed the Requip mage up the stairs and down the infirmary hallway. With each step she took, the blonde was becoming more and more apprehensive. She too was beginning to feel the strange magical aura, and she usually wasn't very perceptive when it came to things like that. Suddenly, to her surprise, Erza stopped in front of the infirmary and kicked in the door with as much force as possible. Lucy jumped back from shock. _Weren't we supposed to be quiet!?_ she screamed inwardly as she caught up with her S-Class teammate.

"I was right," Erza said in her usual commanding voice. "It _is_ you." _Huh?_ Lucy blinked. She tiptoed around, and caught a glance at what was happening inside of the infirmary.

Madilia was standing up with her back towards the door. A man was standing at the opposite end of the room, with his back to the windows. His hair was long and such a light shade of blue that, if there had been light in the room, Lucy felt she would've been blinded by the color.

What scared Lucy was the man's eerily calm grin and disposition. Not to mention the fact that his body was glowing a similar hue to his hair.

"Well, well. If it isn't the Titania Erza," he sniggered. "Alive and awake, no less… Looking great, aside from that eye patch across your face, of course."

"And you dare think I would forget the man who ripped my false eye from its socket while I was still conscious?" Erza scowled, summoning one of her swords to her side. Lucy cringed at the mental image. _Erza had her eye taken… while she was __**awake**__?_ The man laughed.

"I guess you wouldn't! Did I make that much of an impression?" He smiled. "That's good. However, I don't have time for a rematch at the moment." The male bluenette looked to Madilia and waved. "Well, it's been fun, Lia-chan. We must do this again soon."

"Let's not and say we did," the psychic woman growled. It was the first time Lucy heard any emotion in her voice; she just wished it wasn't anger. "If you're going to leave, then do so before I must resort to extreme measures."

"I always loved that feisty attitude you once had…" The man sounded nostalgic as he sighed. "It's a shame you rarely get angry anymore."

"If I didn't have control over my emotions, you wouldn't still be in this room."

"True." The man clapped his hands together, and his body instantly dissipated into thousands of blue light particles. "I'm keeping my eye on you, Lia-chan… That's the one thing that hasn't changed over the years." The particles took off like a stream of frozen stars, turning ethereal and passing through the window's glass as if it weren't even there.

"As if you care," Madilia spat. When the woman turned to face the intruders, she found herself sword-to-throat with Erza's weapon.

"You are an _acquaintance_ of that monster?" she snarled harshly. Madilia's face returned to her default stoic expression, not even blinking at the numerous threats she saw going through Erza's mind.

"Unfortunately, I am. That man is Cyander Cienny. He is my elder brother, and the one working with Koda against your guild."

Erza had Madilia pressed up against the wall by her neck in no time flat.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't run you through right here," the Requip mage growled.

"I can give you multiple." Erza suddenly found herself pinned to the opposing wall by an invisible force, much to her disdain. Madilia walked forward, keeping even eye contact with the Titania. Lucy held back a squeak of surprise. "One, I have the ability to incapacitate you without uttering a single word." Erza's sword flew from her hand and to the other side of the room. "Two, I can take your weapon away in the same manner." Erza glared at the psychic, but the silver-haired woman was not impressed. "Three: I do not intimidate easily. And four…" Madilia waved her hand, slowly setting Erza back down on the ground. "You do not know the full story behind this meeting. You are a just swordswoman and seek truth. I figured you of all people would want to hear everything before leaping to conclusions and threats."

Lucy could've sliced the tension in the room with Taurus's axe. Both of the women were trapped in a staring contest, trying to measure each other up. After some time, Erza seemed to give in. She sighed and folded her arms, letting her bangs cover her eye patch.

"Fine," she said begrudgingly. "_Explain_ to me why one of our enemies was sitting in here and chatting with you like nothing has happened."

"It is what I intend to do," Madilia said evenly.

* * *

So that's Cyander's first appearance. What do you guys think he could've been doing there? Was it simply to check up on his dearest little sister? Hmm...


	16. One Winged

That feeling when you've only had two days of school and yet your English teacher assigns you a three-page essay to write. God, my fingers hurt like a bitch.

This would've been up earlier, but this Sunday was spent at my nonna's house where she has no internet connection. Boo.

See my profile for a drawing of what Madilia looks like. It's just a pencil sketch, but eh.

* * *

**_Chapter 16 - One-Winged_**

* * *

A chilling feeling woke Madilia from her light nap.

Looking around the infirmary, she spotted no one but the four wizards that had been brought in earlier. All of them were resting peacefully. Even the boys were barely snoring - Although Elfman kept muttering things about being manly in his sleep.

_"Lia-chan…"_

Madilia's green eyes widened at the voice. Oh, she would know that voice anywhere. An unearthly glow came from outside. A glittering band of ice crystals floated down and to the window, passing through it without damaging the glass. The frozen particles began sticking together in the shape of a human, until their glow receded and a blue-haired man took their place. He smiled at Madilia innocently.

"Hello there, Lia-chan!" he greeted. The psychic scowled.

"What do you want, Cyander?" Cyander frowned.

"Not happy to see me, I take it."

"Give me one reason why I should be."

"Because I'm your brother?"

"… … … I reiterate: What do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Cyander blinked. "I want to know where you've hidden the boy who possesses the Flame of Emotion." Madilia raised her brows. Her brother chuckled at the simple change in her expression. "Oh, come now, Lia-chan. I know you and your powers well. You know what's going to happen, don't you? You already knew I would be coming to you for this reason."

"I had a feeling you'd be stopping by to see me at _some_ point," Madilia answered curtly. "Though knowing in advance doesn't make it any more pleasurable." She swept her cloak back, giving Cyander a full view of her crossed arms. "Despite what you say, I have not hidden him from you."

"You don't deny knowing him?"

"What difference would it make?" The corners of the woman's mouth twitched upwards into the smallest of smiles. "I am not hiding the boy from Koda. I think you realize this already. You _know_ where he is." Cyander shrugged.

"I do… Koda asked me to come anyway. He says he's getting tired of playing along with my games… _Buuuut_ he _also_ agrees when I say an emotionally torn person puts up much less of a fight and leaks more magic energy."

"Hmph." Madilia eyed her brother in suspicion. "You're not quite done with your games, _are_ you? If you really wanted to capture the boy, you would've gone straight to him instead of asking me a question you know the answer to."

"Ah, my smart little sister…" Cyander sighed. "It's such a shame you aren't wise enough to join the winning side."

"Are you daft? There is no winning side in this battle."

"There will be, though. Koda now has the ability to steal magic from those without emotion-based powers – As these two fools have already noticed." He gestured to the sleeping Elfman and Gray. "You don't think Fairy Tail will _last_, do you? With their strongest down for the count?"

"I have seen many things communicated to me from the future… Many of which I have not _wanted_ to see," Madilia replied tartly. "I know the answer to that better than you would."

"Then you know who the winner will be."

"Just know I shall enjoy watching Koda ultimately fall to his knees." Cyander's green eyes widened, clearly taken aback by such a proclamation.

"That's _preposterous_," he finally said, spitting on the ground in distaste. "I've scanned the guild's strongest members multiple times. None of them have the capacity to defeat Koda – Not even on their best day." His green eyes narrowed. "Who is it? Who's going to defeat Koda?"

"I'm afraid I don't know… I would like to, believe me." She smirked. "You can thank Koda for messing up my line of sight."

"Why don't you come back with me and thank him yourself?"

"You are hard of hearing, Cyander. I declined your offer, and I stick by that answer."

"Are you sure? I know Koda would love to have us as a brother-sister act again-"

That's when the door flew open at the speed of sound and in walked Erza, looking like the Devil who had just ascended and was looking for a fight.

* * *

When Madilia finished explaining – And omitting certain details of the conversation – Erza was still looking extremely skeptical.

"So… You were a member of _that_ dreaded guild," she noted evenly.

"It is unfortunate, but yes. You do not appear to be surprised, Erza Scarlett."

"I knew there was something off about you the moment I laid eyes on you," Erza replied. "But seeing as you saved my life and brought me from my comatose state, I didn't think too hard about it."

"It is not as if I make an effort to hide who I am," Madilia said. "The day I came with my message for your master, I specifically mentioned that I was from Discord Palette. Most likely, every one of your members who were in the foyer at the time heard." Erza's face was a pensive contortion. Lucy glanced worriedly between the two older women. Madilia closed her eyes in thought. "Whether you trust me is not of my concern, Erza Scarlett. I merely speak of truth."

"Hnn," Erza grunted. "Fine. I'll go along with this for now; but if I catch even a whiff of your betrayal, you will not be able to hide from punishment."

"I am not officially affiliated with your guild, so 'betrayal' is a moot word," Madilia reminded her. "I wish to see Koda and my fool of a brother stopped. That is the main reason why I am here. I would do nothing to jeopardize the situation for Fairy Tail." _The main reason…?_ Lucy thought. _She has other reasons?_ Erza scoffed.

"Very well. We shall take our leave now." She bowed. "Take care of Gray, Elfman, Bisca, and Alzack."

"I will continue to do so." Madilia also bowed. "Although I do not think there is much I can do for the two who have had their magic stolen."

"I understand." Erza looked to Lucy. "Let's go home."

"Huh?" Lucy's brow creased. "But I still need to find my purse!"

"You need not worry about anyone else coming across it," Madilia said. "I have it."

"… _What_…?"

"I discovered you had left it here earlier, and brought it back to my current residence. I was planning on giving it to you later."

"Umm… Thanks?"

"You will come and retrieve it tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah… Since I kinda' need it…"

"Very well. Be at my residence at noontime."

"Wait, _what_?" Lucy gave the psychic a strange look. "You want me to come pick it up from your _house_?"

"Of course. Aside from wanting to return your possession, I also wish to speak to you about certain matters." Madilia's head tilted to one side just enough for Lucy to take note of it. "You understand, correct?"

"I… guess," Lucy replied slowly. "Though I have no idea why you would want to speak with me at all."

"You will find out tomorrow, Lucy Heartfilia." Madilia looked out the window. "When you arrive at your apartment, you will find directions to my residence sitting on your desk. Show them to no one else; and keep in mind, I will know if you do."

"How do you know I have a desk?"

"I didn't, but thank you for letting me know." Madilia went back to her seat where she had been sleeping. "You two should leave, now. It would be best if you got some rest."

"I concur," Erza agreed. "Let's head out, Lucy. I'm eager to engage in more girl talk when we get back to your house."

"Oh, joy…" Lucy laughed nervously.

* * *

The first thing Lucy did when she and Erza arrived back at the blonde's Strawberry Street apartment was gather her mission papers and Reedus's drawing, and shove them into a box to hide somewhere. She didn't want anything similar happening, where someone finds out about her thoughts and theories because she was careless and left her stuff out in the open. God forbid anyone else but Erza had seen that.

Just as Madilia said, there was a small, pink piece of paper on her desk that hadn't been there before. Madilia's address was written on the sheet in neat handwriting, along with an apology for stealing another glance at the girl's memories. Lucy just sighed at this. She was beginning to think that the 'defense mechanism' of Madilia's was used for way more than just defense. In fact, she was pretty sure the psychic was just plain _nosy_.

Not only that, but Lucy was sure that the only reason Madilia stole her purse in the first place – Yes, that's what she was saying now – Was to talk to her. The woman didn't seem like the type to go around taking other people's things from right under their noses. As silly as it was, the spirit mage trusted her more than that; and because she trusted Madilia, she could only assume that whatever she wanted to talk about was important and not for leisurely chatting.

Lucy wasn't sure how private this meeting was going to be, though, with Erza tagging along.

She sighed. Of _course_ Erza was coming. The Requip mage would absolutely _not_ disobey one of Makarov's orders, and would take it to the utmost extreme. Why had she expected any different? Not only had their master ordered them to stick together, but Lucy could tell Erza was still on the fence about trusting Madilia after last night's events. Personally, Lucy didn't believe the woman was up to anything dangerous. Call it a Celestial Spirit user's intuition. Unfortunately, Erza was more uptight in regards to trust than she was. _Oh, well._

Lucy eyed the numbers on Basil Avenue's houses. "One hundred, one hundred and twenty, one hundred and thirty-four, two hundred and fifty-eight… Isn't there supposed to be a _pattern_ to these?"

"No, why?" Erza asked.

"I… … Nevermind, I found the house." Number five hundred and sixty – Right between four hundred and one thousand and two. _Makes __**perfect**__ sense,_ Lucy muttered in her head.

The house was a modest two-story, pastel blue building with a large wooden door. In every window hung off-white curtains, save for one on the second floor. The first floor windows had flower boxes filled with white lilies and tiger lilies hanging from them. Lucy was surprised to find those, considering Madilia's base personality. _Who knew she was a lily lover? _As Lucy moved to knock on the door, she was surprised to find it open with just her touch.

"_You may come in, Lucy Heartfilia,"_ Madilia's voice echoed from inside the house. _"I will be there shortly."_

"Umm. Okay. Still not used to this whole 'I'm a psychic so I can do these types of things' act," Lucy murmured. _Not that I'm not surrounded by weirdness every day anyway, but still._ "Let's just get this over with."

Lucy took a step into the home, and was promptly amazed at how much space there was – Especially in contrast to how little Madilia actually owned. The wallpaper was a similar blue to the outside, and had vertical stripes all across it. Some more lilies were placed around and on the foyer's furniture, which Lucy was slowly beginning to get used to.

"What the _heck_ is going on here?"

Lucy looked behind her and saw Erza struggling to get through the door. Every time the Requip mage tried to stick her hand through the entrance, a rune barrier erected and blocked her. Erza summoned one of her weapons, and began beating the barrier with it in hopes of it breaking. "Why- Can't- I- Get- In!?" she yelled in between swings.

"Oh, so _that_ is the cause of the ruckus…"

Both Fairy Tail girls faced the right side stairwell, where Madilia was coming down. Lucy blinked. It was the first time she'd seen Madilia without her cloak on. It was strangely shocking, seeing her in that long, pure white dress without her bare shoulders and arms being covered.

"I did not realize you would be coming too, Erza Scarlett," Madilia said, not even blinking at the redhead's annoyed expression.

"Madilia-san, why can't Erza come inside?" Lucy asked, breaking from her thoughts.

"It is a rune spell I put up to protect myself," Madilia explained. "Nobody can enter the abode unless they are invited inside." She looked at Erza coolly. "I'm afraid you will have to leave, Erza Scarlett. I must speak with your teammate alone."

"Master said for us to stick together so we wouldn't be caught off guard," Erza replied with an edge to her voice. "Where Lucy goes, I go. You're the one who split up the guild into groups – You should know this." Madilia didn't look convinced. Lucy began sweating.

"Umm… Madilia-san?" Madilia gazed her way. "Can't you just let Erza in…? She's not going to stop until she gets in, and that could cause property damage…"

"This is rented," the psychic said. "I do not particularly care what happens." Lucy's stare hardened at this. Madilia folded her arms. "However, if it is a must, then I will grant the woman allowance. Erza Scarlett, you may enter as well." Erza cautiously put a hand out, not wanting to walk into an invisible wall again, and was relieved when her test worked. She closed the door behind her.

"Thank you, Madilia-san." Lucy smiled. Madilia didn't acknowledge the gratitude. She merely began walking back up the stairs.

"Come this way, Lucy Heartfilia. There are things I wish to discuss with you."

* * *

The upstairs living room was decorated with a Victorian flair, boasting colorfully-pattered couches, a detailed rug, and glass tables. The bookshelves in the room were filled with numerous novels and decorations. There was even a bay window with – Of course – More lilies placed on top in a vase.

"Come and sit," Madilia offered, gesturing to the settee across from the chaise lounge she was in front of. Lucy and Erza situated themselves accordingly.

"This is a lovely room," Erza commented, taking in her surroundings in awe. "You are a catholic person, aren't you?"

"My tastes are worldly, yes. Thank you for noticing." Madilia reached towards the table in between them and grabbed a porcelain cup. "Would you two like tea? Or something else, perhaps?"

"Tea will be fine," Erza said.

"I'm okay," Lucy turned down the offer. "Thank you, though." Madilia nodded and poured another cup full of tea, and handed it over to Erza carefully. Erza gave a quiet word of thanks, and took a small drink.

"I suppose you're wondering why I've brought you here, Lucy Heartfilia," Madilia began.

"You already know the answer to that…" Lucy muttered.

"You are sore from my prying? I apologize for my actions. I have a – How should I put this? – Habit, of peering into the minds of people to acquire information. I am a bit of an impatient person. This is not pertinent to what I have to say, however." Madilia set her cup down on the table and walked towards the bookshelf that was set beside the doorway. Lucy saw her reach onto one of the higher shelves. Her hand came back down with something pink and white grasped in it.

"Hey, my purse!" she cried. Madilia handed it to her before taking her place on the lounge chair again.

"As I promised, you can have your belonging back. Now…" She shifted, bringing her legs up on the couch for more comfort. "I want to say well done, Lucy Heartfilia. The evidence you've collected regarding the identity of the boy you've been hired to find is correct." Lucy looked startled by the comment.

"It's… correct?"

"Am I to assume that Natsu is truly that boy?" Erza asked.

"Ask your teammate," Madilia said simply. "It's obvious to be that she has the answer."

Erza glanced at Lucy in surprise. The celestial wizard shifted her position due to her nerves. She was afraid of this. Madilia had called her in to speak about Natsu.

"I… Yes." Lucy nodded. "I'm nearly one hundred percent sure that Natsu is Irien Isdona. I still have doubts, but they're minimal and only there because I seriously can't wrap my head around the idea that Natsu… He actually has _parents_."

"Your mind has not been at ease since you began the mission," Madilia noticed. "You are stressed and worried." Lucy leaned back, running her fingers through her bangs.

"You don't know the half of it…"

"You cannot afford to be stressed and worried, Lucy Heartfilia." The ominous tone in Madilia's voice had Lucy's attention quicker than Natsu could start a fight with Gray. The psychic held eye contact with her. "There is the threat of my old guild master and my cockeyed brother at hand. Your mental, physical, and emotional strength must be focused on them, and not on your mission."

"I… understand."

"Good. Then I should not have to tell you that the better option is to tell the pink-haired boy what his true origins are."

"Eh!? What!?" Lucy exclaimed, nearly jumping back in her seat. Her brown eyes were wide with fear. "You want me to… To just _tell_ him!?"

"Lucy, are you okay?" Erza asked, placing a hand on the jumpy blonde's shoulder. Lucy barely calmed down at the touch.

"I-I'm fine, it's just… I can't even begin to _think_ of how that conversation will go."

"I take it your first choice was to ease him into it over time?" Madilia's inquiry sounded more like a statement – Something the girls were getting used to. "I'm afraid that just won't work. You must be blunt and forward with the boy. He will not understand, otherwise."

"But…"

"Lucy, I must agree with her on this," Erza said. "You know as well as I do that indirect doesn't cut it around Natsu. He's just not capable of looking deeper than what's obvious, outside of a battle. Indirection won't work, especially not in this case."

"But-!"

"_No_." Erza narrowed her eyes. She wasn't angry at Lucy. Far from it, in fact; but she needed the celestial mage to understand the situation she was in. "Lucy, you have to tell him yourself. It's better to be straight with Natsu. Just think: What if he found this out by himself because he discovered all the notes you've taken?"

"That won't happen!" Lucy protested. "I hid that box really well-!"

"I'm speaking hypothetically, Lucy," Erza cut her off. "What if Natsu found your ideas written plainly like that? Contrary to the jokes Gray and the guild make, he's not a _complete_ moron. He'd be able to figure it out; and if not, he'd definitely ask where you got that drawing of him from." Erza raised a brow. "And I'm sure the following conversation wouldn't be too pleasant."

Lucy bit her lip. Erza was right, as usual. If she wasn't direct with Natsu, if she beat around the bush… He'd never understand. Him finding out on his own that she'd been doing 'research' on him would also lead to one hell of an awkward situation that Mirajane would somehow find out about and take out of context.

"But… _When_ should I tell him?" Lucy whimpered.

"As soon as possible would be your best bet," Madilia answered, taking another sip of her tea. "Bear in mind, Lucy Heartfilia, I am not saying these things because this mission of yours particularly interests me. I am worried for your guild, and for what will happen if you are not the one to speak of your findings to Natsu Dragneel. Though I cannot go into detail, know that your mission and the guild's safety are ultimately connected."

"They are?"

"In what way?" Erza asked.

"Must I repeat myself?" Madilia sighed. "I already said that I cannot divulge the details to you. Be happy I was at least able to get _this_ much without my body shutting down."

"Shutting down?" Lucy repeated. The phrase startled her greatly. She absolutely did _not_ like the sound of that. "What do you mean by that?"

"My abilities are limited, though it might not seem so. The rune magic I put up around my house and the telekinesis I used last night – Again, I apologize – Use up my energy very quickly because they're not my own inherent gifts. If I use up my reserve of magic that I wasn't born with, my body will shut down. I will be vulnerable and comatose for three months while I replenish."

"You were forcefully trained to hone other skills aside from your own," Erza stated. "Am I correct?"

"You are very sharp, Erza Scarlett." Madilia smiled ever-so-slightly. "It is a trick some dark guilds used in the past. Koda made sure I wasn't, how should I say… 'A _complete_ waste of space'. He wanted the psychic abilities I was born with, but not me. He very quickly realized that he wasn't able to take them since he wasn't strong enough. That's why he had me join in the first place; and when I did, he made sure to plant a certain type of lacrima within me so I could defend myself accordingly in case of an attack."

"I take it the lacrima is the reason why your body shuts down when you've used up any of your abilities that weren't innate."

"Correct again, Erza Scarlett. It takes the lacrima three months to recharge. It was Koda's way of making sure I couldn't do anything to betray him – Heaven knows, if I tried to fight I would fall in an instant." Erza raised an eyebrow.

"I'm beginning to see why you're sitting on the sidelines, now."

"Huh?" Lucy looked at Erza in surprise. "Why?"

"It's because she has absolutely no way of attacking without going into a coma almost immediately," Erza explained. "Her powers are meant for self-defense only. She wasn't born with any potential for offensive magic."

"I'm beginning to think you have some powers of sight as well, Erza Scarlett."

"No, I'm just incredibly keen when it comes to things like this." _No kidding,_ Lucy thought. _The incident at Galuna Island comes to mind…_ Erza's mind was definitely that of a detective.

"So I guess this means you can't tell us exactly what's going to happen?" the celestial mage asked, already having a good idea of what her reply might be.

"No. Not in so many words, since everything is jumbled and out of order. It should be obvious that what is going on with Fairy Tail does not entirely pertain to me."

"Uhh… … …"

"My visions are almost always related to me in some way, whether they are straight-forward or by a very narrow margin."

"Then you only arrived at Fairy Tail because your brother and Koda are involved with this attack?" Erza questioned. Madilia paused to contemplate her answer.

"That is perhaps the gist of it," the psychic said. "There is another reason, but for the sake of my own privacy the only other person who knows is Makarov Dreyar. He and I have an understanding of sorts."

"And you will not tell us about this understanding?"

"Of course not." Madilia folded her hands neatly. "I do not wish to keep you any longer. There are things you must do, and guild members you must help. The green-haired woman and her partner should be up by now, as should the topless boy and the other man." Lucy raised her brows. She couldn't help but get the feeling that, after all of this, they were being shooed away.

"You're right," Erza said, standing up. "Thank you for sharing the information with us, and thank you for the tea."

"And thanks for giving me my purse back," Lucy added, also leaving the couch. Madilia reached over to the table and grabbed her cup.

"A word of advice, Lucy Heartfilia?"

"What?"

"Don't leave your personal belongings lying around where they can easily be stolen." Lucy gave a humorless chuckle as the psychic polished off her tea.

"I'll... keep that in mind."

* * *

After leaving the psychic woman's house, the first thing Lucy did was check to make sure everything in her purse was untouched. A sigh of relief found its way to her once she saw everything intact. Her next action was to ask Erza how she figured out Madilia so easily.

"There are things I've seen and heard about that aren't pleasant," the Requip mage answered. "Experience and research are your friends, Lucy."

"I see…" Lucy muttered. Once again, she didn't get a straight answer. That was getting more annoying every time it happened. A scoff from Erza made the blonde look up again.

"First I'm defeated in combat, and then I'm held back by an empty threat… When this whole mess is finished, I'm going to put myself through some serious training again." Lucy only knew half of what she was talking about.

"When did someone threaten you?" she inquired.

"Last night," Erza responded curtly. "When that psychic had me against the wall. She made it seem like she could easily win against me, but it was a lie."

"It was?" Lucy's eyes widened. The conversation with Madilia came back to her. "Oh, right. She said telekinesis wasn't something she was born with…"

"Not only that, but she has no offense whatsoever. Which means I was taken down by an elaborate _bluff_!" Erza growled. "I feel so _ashamed_ of myself! Lucy, will you do me a favor by striking me?"

"Uhh… No. And for future reference, I will _never_ say yes to that request."

* * *

Madilia's face remained passive as she stared at the glass ruler in her hands. On one side of the fragile instrument, there were numbers going up from zero to one hundred; on the other, there was a light that lit up vertically. Currently, it had stopped rising at the number eighty-four.

_Eighty-four percent…_ She noted inwardly. "Hmph. I knew I shouldn't have used my outside abilities last night… But I doubt the scarlet-haired woman would have listened to me if I hadn't done so." That aside, eighty-four percent was awfully high. She hardly ever hit the sixties, nevermind the eighties. She didn't think she'd used up _that_ much of the lacrima's powers since coming to Magnolia.

She contemplated taking the barrier down to save energy, but decided against it. If she had used up this much magic already, then it didn't matter. It was better to be safe than sorry. She'd just need to save the other sixteen percent in case of an emergency.

Madilia placed the ruler back in its spot on her room's bookshelf. It was likely that between the magic she used to give Makarov Dreyar her message, healing the Fairy Tail members, sending her address to Lucy, and bringing Erza from her pseudo-coma had used up most of her power. She wasn't about to lament her healing ability, though. _That_ particular power was one she was _glad_ Koda had given her through that lacrima. She just wished she could use it on herself.

Something outside her window caught her eye. Peering through the glass, she saw two people flying through the sky while carrying a third. She was surprised when she caught one of the people flying using a caster type magic involving runes.

Madilia pursed her lips. These were probably more Fairy Tail wizards coming home after a battle with her old guild master and brother. If she had to heal another person, she didn't know what she would do about her outside abilities consuming her energy. Was it really worth sleeping for months just to finish healing them? Especially when there might be more coming? She'd already used up most of her energy gratuitously. What was the right decision?

The psychic huffed and grabbed her cloak. She'd be needed if Cyander was still active. She would focus on that. If she couldn't help them with basic injuries any longer, she'd fetch someone who could.

Porlyusica was likely not to be pleased with being called back to the guild so soon after she left.

* * *

So, yeah. The only abilities Madilia can use without depleting her magic energy are the ones she was born with. (I.e., the power of sight, peering into a person's mind, and traveling through walls.)

A quick note: "catholic" does not automatically relate to the Roman Catholic church. "Catholic" means "universal".

On another note, almost 100 reviews! This makes me a happy person.


	17. Afterthoughts

Shorty short short. But school and writer's block attacked me mercilessly. I didn't appreciate it. Anyway, think of this as a transitionary chapter.

Apparently even I need those sometimes.

* * *

_**Chapter 17 - Afterthoughts**_

* * *

This… was just plain horrible.

If someone asked Gray why he looked angry, he would've scoffed. If they'd asked why he looked like he should get laid more often, he would've punched their face in. He was in absolutely no mood to deal with the moronic bullshit that usually went on in his guild.

No matter how many times the dark-haired boy took his stance and attempted to conjure up something with his Ice Make magic, nothing would happen. No spectacular show of frost, no frozen weapons… Not even a magic circle formed to let him know there was at least a _chance_ of him succeeding. He sighed. Without his magic, his whole body felt incredibly heavy and weak. It was the most vulnerable he'd felt in a long time – Back from before Ur came along and taught him Maker Magic in the first place.

There lied another problem. With his master gone and Leon being a smarmy asshole ninety percent of the time, the only connection he'd had to Ur was his ice magic. It was the last link between him and his teacher – It was what kept him in tune with the deceased woman. Now, that connection had been stripped mercilessly from him and he didn't know if he'd ever get it back.

It short: Gray Fullbuster was thoroughly, royally, spectacularly, _enormously_ pissed off. Too pissed off to notice his single observer.

From behind the corner of the guild, Juvia watched her love struggle to come up with any kind of magical output. So far, the outside of the guild was still intact. She silently wept for Gray's sake. _Oh, Gray-sama! How I hurt to see you like this… Juvia wishes she could give up her magic for yours!_

Juvia was brought out of her reverie when she saw Gray pick up a nearby rock a chuck it out of sight, screaming out curse words that could've made a pirate blush. She winced at the coarse language, but she wouldn't hold it against her beloved. Having your magic abilities stripped from you wasn't a light matter. Even though she'd never fallen prey to something so dramatic, she sympathized with him.

"Geez, you're annoying," Natsu grumbled as he stepped out of the guild. "Chill, you damn snow cone." Gray glared at him with as much hatred as he could muster. Natsu frowned. "Right. Guess you can't anymore."

"What the hell do _you_ want, Natsu?" the former ice mage grumbled. "Come to make fun of me now that I'm useless? Go away, Flame Breath. I don't need you to rubbing in the fact that you're now stronger than me."

"Huh…" Natsu blinked. "… Wait… Holy crap, I _am_ stronger than you now!" Gray blanched. It probably wasn't wise to mention that. _How did he not_ _realize that __**before**__!?_ Natsu cackled loudly. "Well, _well_! Guess we know who's the big man now, _huh_ Gray!?"

"It's still Erza," Gray replied, trying his very best not to give into his urges and punch the living daylights out of Natsu. The Dragonslayer had a talent for putting him in a bad mood, and retaliation wasn't out of the norm. However, he had serious doubts as to whether or not he could win in a fight against the fire breather now. They'd been at stalemate for the longest time; him losing his powers definitely tipped the iceberg in Natsu's favor.

No pun intended.

"I said _man_, dumbass," Natsu said flatly. "Erza's a _girl_. Duh."

"I _know_ that!" Gray snapped. "Why are you out here, anyway?"

"Elfman's all upset and huddling in a corner, muttering things about him not being manly anymore. Just _looking_ at him makes me feel depressed." Natsu shrugged. "Plus the old witch kicked me out. She said I was disturbing the peace or something."

"You tend to do that."

"No, I _don't_!"

"Yes, you _do_!"

"Oh yeah!? Name one time!"

"You're disturbing the peace right _now_!"

"Only because _you're_ being an _asshole_!"

"Matchstick!"

"Frosty Boxers!"

"Slanty-eyed pyromaniac!"

"Droopy-eyed ice princess!"

"You wanna go, Pinky!?"

"Bring it, Stripper!"

With that, another battle between the elemental rivals began.

Juvia nearly jumped in to help Gray out – As much as she loved him and knew of his greatness, even she had doubts about a one-sided fight against someone who still had magic. She was two seconds away from hurling the sphere of water that had formed in her palm at Natsu with all her might. One very crucial point kept her at bay, though.

Natsu wasn't using his magic at all.

There was not one flame coming from his body. No Fire Dragon's Roar, Iron Fist, or any other of his attacks. There wasn't a tongue of fire at his feet or around his fists to be seen. This was a pure hand-to-hand boy's brawl. The obvious question remained. Why wasn't Natsu going all out like he usually did?

Juvia's water sphere disappeared slowly as a theory crept into her mind. Maybe Natsu was _purposely_ not using his fire magic? That struck her as odd. If they hated each other so much, then the rosette boy should've had no problem with taking her love out in one hit – As much as the thought of such a thing nearly mentally scarred her.

She rethought her statement when she realized how ridiculous it sounded. From what she's seen, nobody in Fairy Tail truly hated each other. Sure, there were arguments; but in the end, they were all one big dysfunctional family, and they wouldn't have it any other way. Even her fellow former Phantom wizard Gajeel was slowly giving in to their feelings of kinship and acceptance.

Natsu didn't hate Gray; and if Juvia really thought about it, Gray probably didn't hate the Dragonslayer either. They were two friendly rivals, and Natsu was looking out for his guild mate. He wasn't using his fire because he didn't want to hurt Gray and because it wouldn't be fair. He was trying to take his mind off of things with a good old-fashioned battle of fists.

Juvia let a small smile play across her features. Laughing together, playing together, fighting together, and making each other feel better… Fairy Tail wizards really were the best.

* * *

"Is she going to be alright?" Freed asked. Porlyusica glanced up at the green-haired boy with impatience laced in every corner of her face.

"She will feel _much_ better if you would stop asking me that same trivial question every two minutes," she snapped.

"S-Sorry…" Freed backed away from the healing mage. He may be one of the better mages in the guild, but there was no way he wanted to invoke Porlyusica's wrath. He was strong, but he wasn't stupid.

"Poor Ever," Bixlow mumbled, folding his arms. "Being taken down like that…"

"_Poor Ever_," his hitotsuki dolls echoed.

"Is she going to be alright?" Freed asked again unconsciouly. He immediately realized his mistake when Porlyusica turned an angry glare on him.

"Get out!" The pink-haired woman grabbed Freed and Bixlow, tossing the two boys out of the infirmary unceremoniously and closing the door behind them. She huffed. "For goodness sake… Don't any of these damn Fairy Tail wizards know the meaning of _patience_?"

"I would think the answer is obvious," Madilia replied as she jotted something down on a notepad. "But surely you cannot blame them for being worried over the girl?" The psychic gestured to Evergreen with her pencil. The girl was unconscious and lying on one of the beds, reminiscent of how Erza looked when she first arrived at the guild bathed in blood.

"That doesn't excuse their annoying persistence." Porlyusica walked back over to Evergreen's side. "I'm more interested in that spell you were going to give me to work with."

"I am writing the details as we speak." Madilia kept her eyes on the sheet of paper. "I am giving you a basic rundown of the spell to use to wake the girl up. My brother's spell is rather complicated to figure out if you don't know him, so this will have to do."

"I see no reason why you couldn't perform the spell yourself," Porlyusica said. "Since you did it before and it worked rather well." Madilia's writing paused as she bit her lip.

"Certain… circumstances prevent me from doing so," she replied slowly.

"And those circumstances are to be kept to yourself?"

"Correct. For now, I can help with basic injuries, but anything more than that I must leave to you." Porlyusica made a face at this. One could easily tell she didn't want to be around here longer than she needed – Read, w_anted_ – To be. Madilia handed the notepad to the older woman. "This version of the spell is performable by any healing mage. This girl will not instantly wake up as the scarlet-haired woman did, but it will ease her inner turmoil and break her from the spell within some days."

Porlyusica eyed the paper curiously. "This has been shortened quite a bit. Last I recall, the spell was a real mouthful."

"I _did_ mention that it has been curtailed," Madilia commented. Porlyusica raised a brow at the psychic's smart aleck reply.

"At any rate," the healer continued. "This information will be most helpful."

"I would think so. You are welcome."

* * *

"_Ehhh_!? You're going to tell him!?"

Lucy covered her ears as Levy shrieked. Erza remained passive at the outburst.

"Y-Yeah," Lucy replied. "I… I think it's for the best…"

"Wow…" Levy sat back in her chair. "You just decided this _now_?" Lucy shook her head.

"No, I've been mulling it over for a while, but I've made up my mind… With some help from Erza and Madilia-san."

"I think you've made the right decision, Lucy," Erza said with a smile.

"I still can't believe Erza's in on this now, too…" Levy mumbled.

"It couldn't be helped." Lucy shrugged. "That's what I get for leaving all those papers out in the open. Better Erza than anybody else. At least she can keep a secret."

"True…" Levy's eyes widened. "Can you even imagine what would've happened if _Natsu_ had found them? I mean, with how often he comes over here…"

"He won't." Lucy folded her arms indefinitely. "I've hidden those papers in a box and shoved it somewhere he won't even _think_ to look."

"Where's that?"

"Not telling."

"Why?"

"It's safer if I'm the only one who knows."

"I quite agree," Erza added. "It's a good idea."

"Well… In that case…" Levy shifted in her seat. "When are you going to tell Natsu about all of this?"

"She's going to tell him right now," Erza answered quickly. Lucy and Levy both looked at her as if she'd suddenly requipped into her Seduction Armor out of nowhere.

"_**What**_!?" both younger girls screeched. Erza blinked.

"Wouldn't that be best?" she asked. "That psychic did say 'as soon as possible' was best, so why wait?"

"E-Erza… H-hang on a second," Lucy stuttered nervously. "It's not going to make much of a difference if it's today or tomorrow, will it…?"

"No, it won't; that's why I said today."

"That's… not what I meant…"

"I really hope you know what you're doing, Lu-chan."

"When did I say I agreed to this!?"

"You said you would tell Natsu as soon as possible. This qualifies."

"But this was just sprung on me _today_! _Ugh_!" Lucy's hand fell down her face in exasperation. "Why me!?"

"I think you know the reason." Erza patted her on the back. "Lucy, this _has_ to get done. If not today, then early tomorrow."

"I like that second option better," Lucy muttered. "It'll give me more time to work up the courage to talk to Natsu…"

"I agree…" Levy hummed. "Not to mention you have to figure out what your approach will be."

"Direct would be the best way," Erza noted. "Beating around the bush takes a long time and crushes your resolve faster than Gajeel can pick a fight."

"He's not _that_ bad…" Levy muttered.

"But she has a point." Lucy sighed. "Alright, then. I'll bring this up to Natsu tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"I don't really have a choice…"

"_Lucy_!"

Lucy and Levy jumped at the high-pitched voice. Erza smiled casually.

"Oh, Happy. What are you doing here?"

"I need a place to hide!" Happy cried. He floated over to Lucy and latched onto her head. "Lucy, can I stay here? _Pleeeease_?"

"Uhh, sure…" Lucy pulled him off, holding the cat by his scruff. "But why do you need to hide at all?"

"Magnolia-wide hide and seek!" Happy smiled. "If I win, I get ten pounds of fish! I'm gonna give half to Charle!"

"Is that right?" Lucy's fingers drummed on the tabletop. "Fine, so long as you don't end up storing the fish in _my_ house if you win. Go hide somewhere. Just stay out of my room."

"I'll go for the closet!" Happy broke from Lucy's grip, and dashed for the door. "By the way Lucy, do you have any fish?"

"Why do you want fish now if you're going to be winning a whole ton of them later?"

"Because I'm hungry now!"

"You are _not_ eating fish in my closet!"

"Lucy's a meanie!"

Lucy's forehead met with the table for a second time. Levy leaned over to her and whispered, "Lu-chan, what about that box? If Happy finds it…"

"Don't worry, Levy-chan. So long as he stays out of my room, it's safe."

"On second thought, Lucy, I'm gonna go hide in your room! There's a lot more space there!"

"_Go back in your closet_!"

* * *

The moment of reckoning is upon us, children.

Also, have we actually seen Erza in her Seduction Armor outside of her thoughts?


	18. Near and Far

These next two chapters are going to be long.

Also, I was too distracted to notice this earlier, but we've finally passed one hundred reviews! Cheers everyone!

And speaking of reviews, I expect you all to do so for this mega eventful chapter.

* * *

_**Chapter 18 - Near and Far**_

* * *

Happy sighed to himself. He'd been sitting in Lucy's closet for the longest time now, and he was starting to get _really_ bored.

In reality, it probably hadn't even been more than an hour, but the cat was peeved nonetheless. Natsu was supposed to have a good sense of smell – Shouldn't he have found him by now? Maybe making their game spread over the entire city was a bad idea.

"Hurry up, Natsu…!" he pleaded quietly, shifting himself on the makeshift bed he'd made out of Lucy's clothes. "I'm getting bored!"

There was a sound of a window shutting coming from another room.

"Haaappyyy…" a mischievous voice called. "I know you're here! Your scent is really fresh around this place!" Happy instantly shut up and tried to dig his way deeper into the pile of clothing. It's about _time_ Natsu got here! He'd been beginning to wonder if _he_ was the one who'd have to go searching!

Happy threw a few spare shirts over himself, attempting to cover his own scent more. Those fish would be his!

* * *

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" Natsu sang in a deadly voice. "There's no escaping me now!"

As everyone in the guild knows, Natsu has no real sense of personal space; which meant that he was, by his standards, free to search wherever the hell he wanted with no abandon.

It didn't matter where or what it was; the fire dragon went through Lucy's things like a bloodhound on a mission. In her drawers, under her desk, beneath the carpet, in her drawers again – He found himself drawn to the forbidden underwear one in particular for some unknown reason – And even in her bathroom, once he left her sleeping quarters. He spent a good amount of time in the kitchen as well, but that was mostly because he was starving. Besides, he and Lucy were best friends. She wouldn't mind him taking a few things from her fridge, right?

"Man, this is bad…" Natsu muttered, shoving more potato chips into his mouth. "I can't tell where Happy might be… His scent is all over the place." He looked around the kitchen, munching on his snack noisily. "Come to think of it, I can smell Levy and Erza in here too. Wonder what Lucy and they were up to." He hadn't seen any of the three for practically the whole day, except for in passing. He'd been too preoccupied with his and Happy's game of hide-and-seek to care.

Maybe he should go find them and say hi? No, he still had a game to finish. He'd head back to the guild after finding Happy. The cat just _had_ to be in this apartment, somewhere… He could feel it.

Pouring the last of the chips into his mouth, Natsu polished off the bag and tossed it away. Time to continue his search.

* * *

Nope, this wasn't working. Try and try as she might, Lucy just couldn't find her inner peace. The discussion she'd be having with Natsu tomorrow was grating on her sanity, and she knew it. It wasn't like she could get out of it, either – Erza was certainly going to make sure she spoke with the Salamander when the time came. No matter the cost.

Nope, relaxing at the poolside was doing nothing to ease her troubled mind. It didn't surprise her. How was she supposed to enjoy the calm before the storm if her problems wouldn't leave her alone!?

"I'm going home."

"Lu-chan, wait!" Levy sat up and grabbed her friend's arm before she could run back to her apartment. "Come on, sit a little while longer. It's not doing you any good to be so worked up already."

"Levy-chan, in case you haven't noticed, I've been worked up for a while now."

"True, but… Don't you think it'd be better to relax for now?"

"I'm _trying_," Lucy insisted, leaning back on the lounge chair again. "It's not as easy as you're making it out to be."

"At least Erza looks like she's having fun…"

Erza was busy beating Laki, Mikuni, and Mickey in pool volleyball. Naturally, she was going overboard with her spikes and serves; but by the large smile on her face, one could tell she was enjoying herself.

Lucy sighed. "Levy-chan, you're so lucky… Laki is so calm and laidback about everything around her. She's a little out there, but at least she doesn't stick to you like glue."

"Aww, come on." Levy chuckled. "Erza isn't that bad of a partner."

"Maybe, but I'd prefer it if she _didn't_ follow me into the tub or my bed."

"I thought you were used to sleeping with other people, though," Levy commented. Her question wasn't mean to be teasing, as the bluenette's expression was of simple curiosity. "I mean, doesn't Natsu sneak into your bed sometimes?"

"Keyword, _sneak_," Lucy muttered. "I don't know when he does it most of the time. Plus, Natsu doesn't hug me the entire night as if I might disappear into thin air if I wasn't secured properly."

"Bet you wish he did, though." Now, _that_ comment was obviously meant to be a tease.

"I swear to God, Levy-chan, I'm going to pour toothpaste in between the pages of your favorite novels if you keep making jokes like that."

"Ehh!? Lu-chan, that's so cruel!"

"Yeah? So was lying to the guild and making them think I slept with Natsu."

"_Levyyyy_!"

Lucy and Levy blinked as Jet and Droy ran up to them. The two boys were currently trying to catch the breaths they had lost.

"Le… vy…" Jet rasped. "Help…"

"What?" Levy's eyebrows scrunched up in worry. "What's happened?"

"Ca… Can't… We…" Droy tried to speak. "Natsu… Can't find…"

"Is that all?" Levy suppressed an amused smile. "You can't find Natsu?" She'd almost forgotten that these two were Natsu's current partners. "Well, we saw Happy a little while ago trying to hide in Lucy's house… He said something about 'Magnolia-wide hide-and-seek'. Natsu's probably out somewhere looking for him." Jet and Droy's mouths dropped open.

"How are we supposed to find him then!?"

"We're not supposed to be out of each other's sights, and yet he…"

"Does this _surprise_ you?" Levy drummed her fingers on her knees. "Natsu's not one for following directions. You shouldn't worry too much about him, anyway. He's perfectly capable of taking care of himself."

"Yeah, but…"

"We don't wanna get in trouble with Master…"

"I think as long as _you_ guys are together, it's fine," Levy said. "Max and Warren are the same. Nab is partnered with them, but do you think that means they're going to stay in the guild the whole time while he stands at the request board?" Jet and Droy looked thoughtful at this.

"I guess…" Jet murmured.

"Exactly. So don't worry yourselves over Natsu. I'm sure he's fine."

"Thank you, Levy!" the Shadow Gear boys cried, hugging each of her legs.

"H-Hey now, no need to fuss…!" Levy cried nervously. "Lu-chan, a little help over here!" Silence. Levy looked over her shoulder. "Lu-chan?"

The empty lounge chair beside her didn't give an answer.

* * *

"I'm really sorry about Evergreen, Freed…" Mirajane offered her sympathy. "If it helps… At least she's still alive." Freed held in his sighs, staring down at the bar in dejection.

"Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that Bixlow and I were powerless to stop that man from hurting her and stripping her of her magic," he mused pessimistically. "If it weren't for my Jutsu Shiki, none of us would've gotten out of there."

"Your barriers saved your team," Mirajane noted. "Feel happy about that, at least."

"In case you haven't noticed, Freed isn't exactly a cheerful person," Bixlow joked, coming up behind his teammate. "Though I have to agree with him on this. We failed Ever badly. We couldn't protect her."

"You two should know by now," Mirajane smiled lightly. "Evergreen isn't a girl who needs protection."

"We know, but…"

"It's different when you see a teammate fall out of the sky with no way to save herself," Fried finished darkly.

"I suppose so…" Mira leaned against the bar, head resting in her palms. "Still, it's good that you were two were able to heal up enough to fly Evergreen home. From what you were describing to the master before, it sounded like you boys were in pretty bad shape."

"We have Mosa-san to thank for that." Mirajane blinked.

"Erm… Who?"

"Mosa was some old guy we met on our way back," Bixlow said. "Cleaned us up real good. Couldn't do anything for Ever, though…"

"_Poor Ever…"_ his dolls said again.

"Well, whoever he was, he seems like a nice guy." Mirajane smiled. "He'd have to be, to look after strangers out of the kindness of his heart."

"Who said he did _that_?" Bixlow stuck his tongue out – Not out of the ordinary, but it certainly conveyed his thoughts well enough. "The guy made us work around his house when we were feeling better! He said it was payment or something… I didn't enjoy it. Plus, he insulted my babies!"

"_That's right!"_ said babies chimed together.

"Oh, my…" Mirajane chuckled good-naturedly.

"Come now, Bixlow," Freed chastised his partner lightly. "Mosa-san is alone in this world. Have some sympathy for the man."

"Yeah, yeah…" Bixlow folded his arms. "Doesn't mean I have to like the work he made us do."

"Now _that_ I won't disagree with you on."

"You boys…" Mirajane shook her head. As she stood up straight, she caught a familiar blonde head out of the corner of her eye. She smiled. "Lucy! How've you been? Do you need anything?"

"Something to calm my nerves, _please_," the celestial mage groaned, settling on a seat two away from the Raijinshuu team members. Mirajane nodded and went to go fetch Lucy's request. Bixlow grinned at the blonde.

"Hey look, it's the cheerleader!"

"I'm _not_ a _cheerleader_!" Lucy snapped angrily. "And I'm not in the mood to be teased right now!"

"Whoa, okay then." Bixlow put his hands up in defense. "Who ticked _you_ off?"

"I'm not ticked off, I'm stressed. Not that I'm going to go into any details…"

"Yeah, I didn't want details anyway. I just asked for the hell of it."

"Oh, go away."

"Someone's not herself today," Mirajane mused, putting a cup down in front of her friend. "It's lavender tea. It'll help get rid of whatever anxiety you may have."

"Much obliged, Mira-san…" Lucy took the cup in her hand. "How much?"

"Three hundred Jewels."

"Huh… Cheap…" Lucy mumbled as she took a sip.

"You've never ordered anything for nerves before, Lucy," Mirajane observed. "What's got you so wound up?"

"You remember that mission Levy-chan invited me on…?"

"Oh, the retrieval mission? The one with that little boy?" Mirajane smiled sympathetically. "Are you having trouble finding him?"

"Not… exactly. I think we did find him, but…"

"You did!? That's great!" Mirajane exclaimed in happiness, clasping her hands together excitedly. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! … Wait." Mirajane's smile fell when she got a second glance at Lucy's less than stellar disposition. "There's more to it, isn't there? That's why you're not happy?"

"Yeah…" Lucy drank some more of the tea. "The major problem is how I'm going to just casually go up to… … Irien… And tell him that he has parents. I mean, that we found his parents- Wait, no, I mean-"

"You mean you're having trouble figuring out how you're going to tell him that his parents have been looking for him?" Mirajane helped.

"Yeah, that." Lucy sighed heavily. Mirajane frowned.

"You must really be thinking hard about this, Lucy. I've never heard you trip over your sentences that badly."

"Well, it's not the Irien part that's got me worried," Lucy replied half-heartedly. "It's his parents, too. I mean, how am I supposed to go up to the Isdonas and tell them-?"

"_Isdona_?" Freed interrupted. "_That's_ the surname of your clients?" Mirajane and Lucy looked at Freed questioningly.

"Uh, yeah," Lucy confirmed in a careful tone. Freed taking interest in their conversation definitely hadn't been expected. "Why do you ask?"

"Because that is the last name of a man Bixlow and I met before coming back to the guild."

* * *

Natsu was just about ready to give up. He'd been searching Lucy's house for a while now, and there was still no sign of Happy. Maybe the cat wasn't hiding here after all? That was unlikely, though, since Happy's scent was more fresh in the apartment than any other place he'd looked.

"_Man_, he's good… Guess it's because he's small." Natsu laid back on Lucy's bed. "Happy's gotta be here, somewhere… His scent is in a lot of places in here!"

Then again, so was Lucy's. With a grimace, Natsu realized that his female teammate's scent had probably interfered with his nose a bit. Happy could've been hiding somewhere that was covered in Lucy's scent, and the Dragonslayer wouldn't have picked it up.

"That sneaky little bastard!" Natsu sat up instantly. "Alright, time to do this again! Is there any place I haven't looked already?"

Plenty of places, he realized. Happy was small and could fit in almost any place he wanted to. _Damn it, there's no way I'm catching ten pounds of fish for him a second time!_ With newfound determination, Natsu hopped off the pink-covered bed and to his feet, ready to start another search.

At least, that was his plan. Instead, he slipped on portion of the blanket that'd been hanging off the side of the bed, sending him to the floor with a _THUD_.

Natsu groaned. "Oww… That was my _head_, damn it…" The fire breather jumped to his feet, and ripped the covers from the furniture hastily. Balling them up into a large wad of fabric, he dropped it to the floor and began kicking it under the bed. "Take that, stupid covers! That's for tripping me!" He finished this task with a toothy grin. "There, _that'll_ teach 'em a lesson!"

Natsu started to head out in search of his partner again, but one thought occurred to him. If he could shove a bundle of blankets under the bed, then maybe Happy could hide there? It wasn't that farfetched. He stroked his chin. "Oh, ho… Clever, Happy. Very clever; but not clever enough to fool _me_!"

From underneath a pile of Lucy's clothing in her closet, Happy vied to disagree with that statement.

Natsu dropped down on his knees and scooted over to the bed again. He frowned when he realized that he'd have to take the blankets out from the space underneath it, but lost it to another smile when he decided that he'd just shove them back after he was done.

The process of removing the blankets took two whole minutes. When the colorful covers were to the side and out of the way, Natsu bent his neck down further and peered underneath the bed. He was disappointed to not see Happy. One odd thing did manage to catch his eye, though.

A box. With a lock on it. A lock meant there was something in there Lucy didn't want anyone else to see. Locks were meant to be broken. He grinned maniacally.

"Guess what _I_ found, Luce?" he snickered. He reached beneath the bed and pulled the box out from underneath.

The Dragonslayer's grin couldn't have been wider as he set the box down on Lucy's desk and tore the lock off with ease. Like a flimsy piece of metal was going to stop _him_ from having fun. No sooner did the lock come off did Natsu lift the top of the box up, eager to see what gems he'd found.

He was disappointed to see that the contents consisted mostly of papers. Natsu snorted, digging through the box with his hand. "Come on, Luce… If you're gonna _hide_ something, at least make it _worth_- Eh?"

Natsu paused. Underneath the papers, he came across a small journal. Even to the normally unobservant Salamander, it looked strangely out of place. Naturally, this meant it was free game for him.

Natsu lifted the palm-sized booklet from its resting place and flipped open the cover. Immediately, a piece of paper fell from the pages. The paper was small, having been folded many times to fit in the journal safely. Natsu picked it up and opened it carefully, mindful of the creases in the sheet.

His onyx eyes widened considerably when he saw that it was a picture of himself.

* * *

"Mosa Isdona?" Lucy repeated. Freed nodded.

"That's right. Mosa-san is the person who made sure the injuries Bixlow and I had attained while fighting went away."

"He's a prickly guy," Bixlow added. "I don't like him that much, but I _am_ grateful for what he did."

"But… That man _can't_ be related to Cobalt-san," Lucy protested softly. "You said this 'Mosa-san' was a loner."

"That is true; Mosa-san has no living relatives left," Freed noted, hand to his chin in thought. "And from what you've mentioned, he doesn't bear much resemblance to your male client…"

"What does he look like?"

"Well, _now_ he looks like some regular old geezer," Bixlow said. "According to him though, his hair's always been white. And spiky."

"Sounds more like Ervana-san…" Lucy hummed.

"I guess Cobalt-san took the name of his wife instead of the other way around," Mirajane noticed.

"I can't see that happening, considering their personalities. Something weird's going on here…" Lucy polished off her tea. "I think we need to go visit this 'Mosa-san' and ask him a few things." Mirajane's blue eyes blinked.

"Whatever for, Lucy?"

"I don't know. Just a feeling. I think we'll have our final pieces of the puzzle if we go." Lucy turned to Freed and Bixlow imploringly. "Could you guys bring me to see this man?"

"Not me," Bixlow spat. "He never apologized for insulting my babies."

"_That's right!"_ the hitotsuki dolls exclaimed. _"Prickly old man!"_

"Thanks a lot…" Lucy muttered, thinking about how the large man would react if she just _happened_ to slap his annoying 'babies' away.

"If it is necessary, then I will accompany you," Freed offered with a bow. "Just know that the journey to Mosa-san's house is rather long – Comparable in distance to Era, possibly a little further."

"That's certainly a long train ride," Mirajane said. Freed nodded.

"And walk," he added. "Mosa-san's house lies outside of the town of Meyer. Once we get off at Meyer's station, we'll have another walk ahead of us. And considering we can't fly this time, the distance will be covered in a minimum of two hours."

"A two-hour walk!?" Lucy's hand slid down her face. "Oi… Guess I'd better wear my sneakers for this."

"When do you want to leave, Lucy?"

"Preferably tomorrow morning, if it's alright with you. I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible."

"Morning it is, then."

"Thank you." Lucy hopped off the barstool and fetched the owed Jewels from her pocket. "The tea was great, Mira-san. It's just what I needed."

"You're very welcome." The hostess smiled as Lucy left to go inform Levy and Gajeel of her plans for the next day.

* * *

Levy took the news with more grace than she'd expected. The Solid Script mage seemed into the idea and seemed ready to go as soon as Lucy had announced their trip. Gajeel looked like he'd just been thrown into Hell's deepest pits without his magic.

"_Another_ fucking day-long train ride!? I'll _kill_ you, Bunny Girl!" Those had been his exact words. How Levy got him to calm down was something the whip-bearer couldn't fathom, but she suspected it had something to do with how Gajeel would do almost anything the bluenette asked of him. In the end, the Iron Dragonslayer had absolutely refused to take part in this trip, and it was clear nothing was going to convince him to change his mind. It helped his case that Erza had volunteered to take his place.

Of _course_ Erza was coming along. Really, she shouldn't have been surprised that the Requip mage had overheard her plans. As if she'd let Lucy go anywhere without her while Master Makarov had assigned them partners.

It was with a lighter heart that she made her way home for the day. She wasn't sure if it was the lavender tea that had lifted her spirits or the fact that Freed would be leading them to a person of interest tomorrow, but all in all, she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Man, it feels good not to worry," she thought out loud. "Alright. As soon as I get home, I'm going to pack, soak in the tub, and get a good night's sleep. What do you think of that, Plue?"

"Puu puuun!" the Canis Minor spirit chimed while walking next to her.

"I'll take that as a 'You're the best, Lucy!'," Lucy laughed to herself as she entered her apartment building. She picked Plue up in her arms and headed up the stairwell, grabbing her key as she reached her door.

When she entered her home, she called out the usual 'Tadaima!' as if she expected everyone to be sitting right there in her room. Instead, she was greeted by silence, her bed covers shoved under her bed, and Natsu sitting at her desk.

Somehow, those three things did not match up. Her blankets should not have been off her bed, Natsu was not supposed to be in her house, and he was _not_ supposed to be _silent_. She took a few steps closer to him, fully ready to reprimand the pyro for messing with her room.

"Natsu, what the hell did you _do_ in here?" she asked. "Did you have a fight with my covers or something? And why are you at my desk? What are you-?"

"Lucy."

Lucy stopped walking instantly as Natsu turned his gaze towards her. His facial expression was utterly unreadable – Unusual for a guy who wore his heart on his metaphorical sleeve. Then Lucy saw what was in his hands, and promptly dropped Plue in shock.

In front of the Dragonslayer lied the box she'd kept her mission information in, fully unlocked and viewable to the world. The notes she'd taken were spread out on her desk, and the journal was in Natsu's hand.

A feeling of anxious dread welled up within the Celestial Spirit mage.

"Lucy, explain this." Natsu's voice, though evenly held, sounded rather demanding to the blonde. Not only that, but he wasn't using his playful nickname for her. He wasn't calling her Luce like he usually did. That meant he was being dead serious.

She was screwed.

"I… I… That's…" Lucy stuttered. "Those are… That's information I gathered… You know, for the job request I took up with Levy-chan and Gajeel. You shouldn't be digging through that, you know-"

"Why is this box filled with comparisons between me and that kid, then?" Lucy flinched. By the tone he was using, she guessed Natsu already knew the reason. He was just testing her to see what she'd say.

Why did this feel like one of those exams where you knew you were going to utterly fail because you didn't study hard enough?

"Natsu, I…" she began slowly. She'd known this moment was coming, sure; actually going through it was something completely different. Especially when she hadn't told Natsu first. He ended up just figuring it out on his own. "I'm sorry, Natsu. It's just… I had the feeling that you and Irien were similar since we came back from the Mogari Forest. One thing led to another, and…"

"_Similar_?" Natsu repeated. He abandoned the journal and stood up, stepping up to less than two feet away from his partner. "I read that notebook of yours, Lucy. I know _exactly_ what you were thinking. And let me tell you something – I don't _care_."

"… What?" Lucy shot him a confused stare. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means, I don't care what conclusions you come to. I ain't that kid you're looking for. I refuse to believe that."

"Natsu, it's there in black and white," Lucy insisted. She was starting to straighten out her thought pattern again. "Everything matches. Not just your biological information, but your physical appearance and magic as well. I _dare_ you to find another explanation."

"Coincidence," Natsu snorted, folding his arms. "That's all."

"That's crap and you know it." Lucy folded her arms likewise. "You don't believe in coincidences. I know you don't believe in fate either, but... Just hear me out on this. Natsu, you... You _are_ Irien."

"Stop saying that," he growled. "I read it enough times already."

"Which was a blatant invasion of my privacy, by the way!"

"Everything in that box relates to _me_, in _case_ you've forgotten! I don't see how that's an invasion of _your_ privacy! If anything, _I'm_ the one who should feel violated!"

"Why are you so _angry_ about this!?" Lucy narrowed her eyes. "If anything, I thought you'd be _happy_ that we found your parents!"

"They ain't my _parents_, damn it!" Natsu snapped. "The only parent I've ever had is Igneel! _Got_ that!?"

"Igneel may have _raised_ you, Natsu, but you were _born_ to _humans_! Get that through your head!" Lucy fired back angrily. "I seriously can't believe you don't care _at all_ that you have living relatives!"

"Why should I!? Igneel, Happy, and Fairy Tail are all I need! Explain to me why some strangers I've never even met should hold _any_ ounce of importance to me!"

"_Because they're your __**parents**_, damn it!" Lucy shrieked in aggravation. "Don't you _get_ it!? There are people out there that love you and want you back in their lives! They _miss_ you! And you can just brush them off like that!? So _easily_!?"

"_Watch_ me!" Natsu jumped on the bed without further notice. With his hands on the window sill, he looked over his shoulder to speak one last time. "I'm _seriously_ disappointed in you, Lucy."

Lucy couldn't even find the strength to scream at him as he left. Disappointed? How the heck was _he_ disappointed!? What had _she_ done aside from uncover a major truth about him!? _She's_ the one who should be feeling disappointed, not that...! _That_...!

"_Moron_! _Jerk_! _Stupid pyro_! _Ugh_!" Lucy kicked her desk chair. "He is _such_ a _confusing_ _**jackass**_!"

In her frustration, one thing did come to mind: Natsu probably wouldn't be sneaking into her bed for a _long_ time after this.

Surprisingly, the thought of the fire mage not sharing her bed with her was more depressing than she expected it to be.

* * *

Hearing the arguing, Happy had decided to abandon the closet and go find a spot in Lucy's room to watch from. He'd settled for under the bed.

Happy had been rather shocked to see Lucy and Natsu fighting at all. Natsu getting angry at anyone other than an enemy was something rare. Granted, he and Gray fought all the time, but that was rivalry. Natsu had never fought with Lucy – At least, not to this scale.

When he heard the reason for the argument, Happy nearly gave away his hiding spot by screaming in shock. Lucy had found Natsu's human parents? There were many words in that sentence Happy never thought he'd find together in one. He'd been happy for his pseudo-father at first, but upon seeing the tension between his friends, the cat wasn't sure what to do.

Happy may make fun of Lucy a lot, but she was smart and she did raise a good point: Shouldn't Natsu have been happy that he had parents other than Igneel? Lucy even knew where they lived! That was a job done pretty well, in Happy's book.

But no. He watched Natsu get even more frustrated, and then finally jump out the window to end their argument. He watched Lucy kick in her chair and call the Dragonslayer names. More than anything else, he watched an invisible rift come between them.

Happy sprung from his hiding place when Lucy wasn't looking, and flew towards his home. He didn't want to see his teammates fighting, and this wasn't going to fix itself.

He needed to talk with Natsu.

* * *

Has shit finally hit the fan? Noooot quite yet...

Yes, there is a reason for Natsu acting the way he does. Never doubt that there are reasons behind his behavior. (Also, he was _Hell_ to keep in-character this chapter. I had no idea how to white him for the longest time.)


	19. Rumination

Ergh. I'm not even going to try to correct Bixlow's name to the official translation. Or anybody else's name, thank you. I'm just gonna use whatever spelling I saw first. (Nobody said anything about it, but I feel I should give the heads up anyway.)

* * *

**_Chapter 19 - Rumination_**

* * *

Staring at Lucy was something Levy couldn't help doing. Ever since they boarded the train to Meyer – Heck, even when they first met up – The whip-bearer had been about as responsive as a lame dog. She had greeted her and Freed at the station, but that was about it aside from some nods and mutterings the bluenette didn't quite catch.

Currently, the four mages were in a private cabin that was paid for by Freed. The only sound to be heard were the train's wheels clacking along the tracks. Erza found herself beginning to steal glances as their blonde friend as well. Lucy was none the wiser to the attention, as she was leaning against the window with her eyes closed. The Requip mage explained to Levy that that Lucy hadn't gotten much sleep last night, so her exhaustion was excusable.

"Erza?" Levy began quietly. "I know I asked Lu-chan already, but… I didn't get a legitimate answer. Why did she seem so upset earlier? Something's off about her, today..."

"It isn't just today," Erza replied calmly. "She was distraught even after I returned to her apartment last night."

"That still doesn't answer my question…" Levy shifted in her seat. "Can't you just tell me what happened?"

"Of course; but first…" Erza looked to Freed. "You, out." Freed raised his one visible eyebrow.

"Excuse me, but I paid for this cabin," he said flatly. "I believe I'm entitled to utilize its services if I so wish."

"I understand. However, our discussion is private and does not pertain to you. I would appreciate it greatly if you would move, if only for a few minutes while I explain the situation to Levy."

"… … …" Freed eyed Erza coolly. "… Fine." The green-haired mage unfolded his arms and stood up. "I will see what types of refreshments they serve in the meantime. Try not to take too long."

"Freed."

"Yes?"

"If they have strawberry shortcake, be sure to get some."

"Why?"

"Because I'm _asking_ you to." The serious expression on Erza's face scared Levy. Everyone in Fairy Tail knew that anyone who got in the way of her cake was doomed. Yet, somehow, Freed wasn't affected by her hardened stare. He merely gave an affirmative reply and exited their cabin. Erza's expression returned to normal. "Now, what was I saying?"

"U-Um …" Levy shook off the redhead's terror. "About Lucy…"

"Ah, right. I can't say for certain what happened, but I have put together a general idea from what Lucy managed to tell me last night." Erza cleared her throat. "As soon as I walked in, I found her already in bed. This was strange to me, as she was still in her day clothes and her covers were on the floor. I wanted to check her temperature to see if she had a fever, but it turns out she was awake. She said she wasn't sick, despite my initial suspicions."

"If she isn't sick, then what's wrong with her?" Levy asked worriedly.

"She said an earlier fight she had with Natsu tired her out." Erza folded her arms. "On a related note, Lucy no longer has to explain to that fool about your clients. He already knows."

"What!?" Levy exclaimed, hazel eyes going wide. "But-! _How_!?"

"He entered Lucy's apartment looking for Happy, but the only thing he found was the box she had stored your mission information in. By my understanding, Natsu was unusually angry in regards to her theory about him being that Altivian couple's son. Quoth Lucy, he 'exploded like a supernova' and left on a fairly sour note."

"But… I don't get it." Levy pursed her lips. "Why was Natsu so angry with her? That's the absolute _last_ reaction I'd expect to come from _him_."

"That is something only Natsu can tell us. And believe me…" Erza punched her open palm, causing Levy to flinch again. "As soon as we get back, he _will_ explain his unreasonable response to us."

"E-Erza… Try not to kill him before we can figure out a reason."

"In that case, I will only beat him to _near_ death."

* * *

Back in his own home, a shiver made its way up Natsu's spine. Somehow, he knew something bad was going to happen to him soon – And that shiver meant it was probably going to be Erza-related. He was going to question why Erza would suddenly be mad with him, but then remembered that the S-Class woman was currently staying with Lucy. He'd caught her scent while snooping around the apartment for Happy.

If anything, Erza probably found out that he and Lucy argued and was going to come after him for yelling at the Celestial Spirit mage. Natsu grunted and turned over in his hammock. _Fine. Let Erza come._ She could beat the crap out of him as much as she wanted. He wasn't going to apologize. That was Lucy's job.

Sleep – Or lack thereof – Did not lift Natsu from his mood. It was true, what they said: You should never go to bed mad. It helps nothing. If anything, doing so just made him worse. He woke up in an even more terrible mood than when he had come home last night, if that were possible.

_Lucy, you idiot…_ he muttered inwardly. _God damn it._

To say he was angry with his blonde teammate was an understatement. Did she actually expect him to go along with that crap? Who cared if some couple claiming to be his parents wanted to see him? He'd never seen or met them, so why should he give a damn about whether he was their son or not?

Natsu flipped onto his stomach, causing the hammock to swing lightly. Even if these people – Cobalt and Ervana, if he remembered their names correctly – Were related to him… According to Lucy's notes, they hadn't started looking for him up until a short while ago. Meanwhile, he'd been 'missing' since he was a toddler. Did those people not care whether their son was gone or not until two years ago? Natsu snorted at the thought.

One of his main reasons for apathy was that he couldn't remember Cobalt or Ervana at all. You'd think he would be able to recall 'important people' in his life like that; nonetheless, his mind remained blank. Natsu supposed that it could be because of that he saw in those papers. Lucy mentioned something about his memories being erased? It was so ridiculous a notion he'd almost forgotten.

_Whatever._ Those people didn't matter. He already had a parent that cared for him, and whom Natsu adored greatly. If Igneel were able to, the Dragonslayer was sure that his foster father would've come looking for him right away. His case was vice versa, however, and so far he hadn't had much luck in locating the dragon. That didn't mean he wasn't trying, though. Heck, he'd been trying ever since Igneel _first_ disappeared!

Another sour note left on was the issue of trust. Lucy had been working on this mission with Levy and Gajeel for a while now, and had come up with that deranged theory not too long after they started. She'd gathered information on him behind his back, and used it to prove her idea was right. Worse, she hadn't even bothered to bring this up with _him_. That showed just how much Lucy would keep to herself on a subject. Did she not trust him enough to let him in on her idea? If Natsu had heard about this beforehand, he might've accepted it easier and with more grace.

But no. He had to learn through a failed game of hide-and-seek; and even when he approached Lucy about his findings, she beat around the bush. Had she not been planning on telling him about this at _all_?

Not only that, but she'd told Levy and Gajeel _before_ him! Levy he could understand, as the girls were best friends – But Gajeel? _Gajeel!_? Gajeel probably didn't give a rat's ass! Natsu supposed it was better than telling _Gray_, but only by a minor margin.

He couldn't hold anything against Lucy for the Erza part. As the journal had said, the redhead found out on her own. On the other points, though, he stood solid.

It wasn't that Natsu liked fighting with Lucy. _Hell_ no, that wasn't it. He hated being at odds with the blonde as much as he hated getting on moving vehicles. How did she _expect_ him to react, though? She had kept something this huge from him and - For a lack of a better word - _Experimented on _him without his knowledge! He was supposed to be _okay_ with that?

Ugh. Thinking and being pissed at the same time was beginning to tire him out.

"Natsu? Are you okay?"

Natsu made a face at his pillow, not bothering to turn around. "What do you think, Happy?"

"Guess not," the cat murmured. Natsu felt a light pressure on his back. That was probably his furry friend deciding to annoy him even more.

Happy's tail twitched in concern. He tried talking to Natsu last night, but had failed spectacularly since it was clear the Dragonslayer wanted nothing to do with people right then and there. He had optimistically thought that Natsu would be feeling better in the morning. Obviously, his hopes didn't come to fruition. "Natsu? When are you gonna go back to your normal self again?"

"When Lucy decides to apologize," the grumpy wizard replied.

"But why does she need to apologize?" Happy frowned at his friend. "Natsu, it's not her fault, you know. Why don't you go make up with Lucy already?"

"Why should I?" the fire-eater growled.

"Because she's your friend."

"Exactly." Natsu folded his arms and rested his head on top of them. "We're supposed to be friends. Partners. Teammates. _Nakama_. We don't keep secrets from each other. At least, that's what _I_ thought." The rosette scoffed. "If she's not even gonna bother telling me when something concerns my life, then fine. I don't care."

"Don't care about what?"

"Lucy, her crazy theories, or my supposed 'parents'. All three. _I don't care_."

"Are you sure about that?" Happy asked. "Because it sounds like you _do_ care."

"I _**don't**_."

"Then why do you look so angry?"

Natsu glared at nothing in particular. Hadn't he _just_ gone over this in his head a few minutes ago?

"If you ask me, Natsu… I think you should go meet with those people." Happy twiddled his thumbs – The feline equivalent of the action, anyway. "It couldn't hurt, right? Besides… I want you to be happy… And meeting your parents might make you feel better."

"Or it could just piss me off even more."

"Stop being so pessimistic." Happy pawed at Natsu's back in protest. "You might like them!"

"They may be my parents, but they ain't Igneel." Wait, since when had he acknowledged these people as his parents?

"I know, but wouldn't it be nice to talk to them? This is a good chance for you." Happy's ears flicked back. "You have these people and Igneel for parents, and I don't even know what mine look like or where they are… You're really lucky, Natsu. I'd give _anything_ to meet _my_ mom and dad."

Natsu's angry expression softened slightly. _That's true…_ From Happy's perspective, he must seem pretty damn lucky. He had been raised by an awesome fire dragon, and he had a chance to meet his original guardians. The cat probably didn't have any family in the entirety of Fiore._ Lisanna and I hatched him, but we're not Happy's real parents…_ He chuckled. _And if we were, I would be a pretty terrible dad._

"Hey, you laughed!" Happy exclaimed cheerfully. "That means you're getting better! All right!"

Natsu's scowl returned. _Damn it._ Happy wasn't supposed to be hear that. He was supposed to fly off to the guild and let him sulk.

Which, now that Natsu thought about it, seemed rather pathetic of him.

"Go away, Happy…" he muttered. "I need to think some more."

"Alright…" The pressure on Natsu's back shifted to two spots, indicating that Happy had stood up. "I'm gonna go to the guild. Promise me you'll think about what I said?"

"Fine, but only because it's you, buddy." The pressure was gone and the sound of wings flapping could be heard.

"Also… Natsu?" Happy paused near the window before flying out. "She may be a weirdo, but Lucy is my friend, too. I don't like it when you guys fight." _Neither do I…_ Natsu replied inwardly. When he was sure Happy had left, the Dragonslayer turned onto his back again and sighed heavily.

"Damn it…"

He had his friends. He had his team. He had Fairy Tail. He didn't need a set of parents in his life.

Despite the insistence, though, Natsu wouldn't deny the small amount of curiosity that Happy had planted in him over the course of their conversation.

* * *

"… Cri…"

Porlyusica looked over at Evergreen in surprise. Had the girl been talking just now?

"… Ma…"

The elder pinkette's eyes widened. She _was_ talking – Or at least trying to.

"Are you awake, girl?" she asked. No response. Porlyusica narrowed her eyes. She was old, but she knew she wasn't hearing things. She also knew that Evergreen muttering things while in a pseudo-coma was very unusual.

"Something wrong, Porlyusica?"

Porlyusica eyed Makarov with disinterest as he entered the room. "Just observing the girl. I believe she is trying to say something, but I'm not sure what it is."

"She's speaking?" Makarov's eyes widened. Excitedly, he hopped over to Evergreen's side to see for himself. Her eyelids were twitching and her lips were quivering lightly, as if she were struggling to talk. The guild master watched her carefully in the silence. Porlyusica was doing the same, though less intensely than her old friend.

"… Cri…" At the mutter, Makarov leaned in closer to hear. Evergreen spoke the word again, her voice coming out soft and clear.

"She said 'lacrima'…" the Wizard Saint noted with wide eyes.

"Lacrima?" Porlyusica raised a brow. "What in Earthland is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I wish I knew…" Makarov mumbled in thought. "And my gut tells me it's something worth looking into."

"Perhaps it has something to do with her current condition," Porlyusica offered. "Although I couldn't for the life of me tell you what. That other woman might be able to say more."

"Maybe…" Makarov muttered to himself. "It's worth a shot."

* * *

When Madilia came back to the guild's infirmary about an hour later, Makarov immediately asked what she might know about Evergreen's mutterings. Madilia seemed perplexed by the information.

"I'm afraid I will have to give a negative answer," the psychic replied. "I do not know how a lacrima would be related to the matter at hand; furthermore, I do not know why the girl would say such a thing. Personally, I'm rather baffled by the fact that she can speak at all."

"She can't really talk," Porlyusica corrected. "She only uttered that one thing before becoming silent again."

"I see… In any case, I apologize for my lack of knowledge on the subject." Madilia bowed. "If I knew more, I would inform you without hesitation."

"No, it is fine…" Makarov sighed. "Though I do wish I knew what it meant…"

"What what meant?" Bixlow's voice asked. The three adults turned to see the twenty-two-year-old in the doorway, carrying a bunch of flowers in his hand. Such a large man with such a sissy-looking bouquet was truly a sight to behold.

"Bixlow, what are you doing?"

"Freed told me I should get some flowers for Ever while he's away," Bixlow replied. "Since she likes 'em 'n all. But no seriously, what were you guys talking about just now?"

"The girl was talking in her sleep," Porlyusica replied. "Though not for long, mind you."

"Really!?" Bixlow exclaimed. "Does that mean she's better!?"

"Not quite," Madilia replied. "From what I understand… The green woman spoke, but it was only one word. She fell unconscious again shortly after."

"Oh…" Bixlow visibly deflated. "Well, what was the word?"

"Lacrima," Makarov said. "We're in a process of trying to figure out what that means."

"Lacrima?" Bixlow folded his arms. "Pro'lly has to do with the fact that that's where her magic went." Suddenly, all open eyes in the room were on the Raijinshuu member, hungry for information.

"What are you talking about, Bixlow?" Makarov questioned, narrowing his eyes.

"Back when Ever got her magic stolen by that guy-"

"Koda," Madilia insisted.

"-Right, by Koda. Anyway, I saw that guy turn her magic energy into a lacrima and absorb it. I was gonna try to get it back, but Freed used his Jutsu Shiki to make a barrier. Said we should run for it since we weren't gonna win anyway, or something like that."

"And _why_ didn't either one of you mention this _**before**_…!?" Makarov flared. Bixlow cringed, taking a step back from his master's wrath.

"F-Freed didn't see it, since he went to go take care of Ever after she fell… And I, uh, kinda' forgot." Bixlow took his flowers and ducked behind a bed before Makarov could dope slap him with Giant Magic for his stupidity. The Wizard Saint huffed.

"Well, the information may have come later than it was supposed to… But at least now I know what we're dealing with."

"Enlighten the rest of us, fool," Porlyusica snapped. "The other woman may be able to read your mind, but _I_ certainly can't."

"I would rather _not_ peer into Makarov Dreyar's mind, actually," Madilia admitted flatly. "There are _many_ things in there I can do without seeing." Makarov laughed in embarrassment for the following seconds, but regained his serious composure in an instant.

"As soon as Bixlow over there mentioned Evergreen's magic being condensed into a solid lacrima, I remembered a spell that would be most useful in this situation."

"And that would be?"

"Magical Break Up." Makarov folded his arms. "Performing that on Koda should rip any of the lacrima he's stored in his body from him, rendering him weaker by default. He'll still be a be a match for me, even without my children's powers stored in him, but he'll no longer have an advantage."

"And you are capable of performing such a spell?" Porlyusica asked.

"I know I am. However… I will require help." Makarov looked to where Bixlow was hiding. "Where is Freed? I must discuss something with him."

"Freed left early this morning," Bixlow replied. The seith magic user stood up slowly, brushing his shirt free of any dust that might be there. "He's taking Titania, Levy, and the cheerleader to go see some old man we met before coming back to the guild."

"And when will he be back?" The old man didn't bat an eyelash at Bixlow's nickname for Lucy.

"Dunno." Bixlow shrugged. "But they need to go to Meyer, so…"

"_Meyer_!?" Makarov exclaimed, making the younger man jump back again. "Are you serious!? That's at _least_ a day's trip!"

"H-Hey, if you wanna blame someone, blame the cheerleader, alright!? She's the one that insisted one of us take her!" Seeing his master's glare, Bixlow put the bouquet of flowers on the nearest bed and ran out the door.

"Why do you need Freed, Makarov?" Porlyusica raised an eyebrow.

"Because I need someone who can write runes like an expert," Makarov explained. "That's part of the spell, and as much as I hate to admit it, Freed is far better at it than I am. Not only that, I'll need bait to lure Koda to this location. I don't want to put any of my children in danger, but it is necessary for those who lost their magic to be around Koda when we perform the spell. If they are not, the lacrima holding their magic will disintegrate."

"What defines 'bait', though?" Porlyusica folded her arms. "We don't even know where that blasted man _is_."

"He is near," Madilia said. "Take my word for it. Koda will notice this 'bait; and if it intrigues him, he will come."

"And how do _you_ know he is near?" Makarov raised his brow. "Don't tell me you can sense his presence when _I_ can't, because I won't believe that." Madilia gazed to the side as if it were an escape.

"Because my brother would never stray far from his leader…" she mumbled. "And Cyander…"

"You've _spoken_ with him." Makarov's voice hardened at this information, as did his facial expression. "_For what reason_?"

"It matters not what he said," Madilia dodged, ignoring how the guild master seemed to have been put on edge by the news. "Or, rather, a large part of what he said doesn't matter."

"_**Speak**_, woman," Makarov demanded harshly. "What information are you withholding?"

"Koda's goal in this guild," Madilia said. "At least, one of them. If you want bait, then I can assure you that the Fire Dragonslayer Natsu Dragneel will suffice."

"That idiot?" Porlyusica grunted.

"Call him what you may, but Natsu Dragneel possesses the Flame of Emotion – Something that Koda would very much like to get his hands on."

"The strongest known Fire Magic," Makarov stated. "It makes sense." At Porlyusica's skeptical stare, the old man spoke again. "Natsu's magic is that of an S-Class mage. Just his Dragonslayer abilities alone would guarantee the defeat of at least half the magic council. With Gray's, Elfman's, and Evergreen's as well, there'd be little stopping Koda."

"And knowing that destructive lunatic, he'd be more than happy to lure out a strong opponent," Porlyusica noted with a scoff.

"Looks like I'll need both Freed _and_ Natsu's help for this…" Makarov mumbled.

"The other boy may be unavailable at the moment, but perhaps you should bring this up with just Natsu Dragneel for now?" Madilia offered. "It would probably be better to tell him sooner than later."

"Perhaps…" Makarov eyed the woman with slight distrust. "Your information is accurate?"

"Yes."

"Anything I need to know? After all, you said you would tell me without hesitation if you had helpful information." The sarcastic tone didn't deter Madilia, but it did upset her slightly.

"Currently... I have nothing else to say."

"For your sake, I hope that's the truth. Now, if you'll excuse me. I must go locate Natsu and find a certain book of mine. I need to read up on the Magical Break Up some more if I'm going to cast it effectively."

* * *

Lucy awoke to the sight of the setting sun. As her eyes opened fully, she realized that she'd been leaning against the train cabin's window for quite some time. Her left cheek was cold and her neck was stiff. Had she really slept that long?

The stars beginning to shine in the sky said yes.

"You're awake." Lucy jumped when she heard Erza's voice directly next to her. The blonde turned sideways and was immediately met with the Requip mage's brown stare.

Lucy rubbed her eyes as she tried to wake up. The cabin was mostly silent, putting aside the soft snores emanating from Levy and Freed. There was a sugary scent in the air that she could vaguely recognize as cake. No doubt a certain redhead had indulged herself in her favorite strawberry-filled pastry while she'd been out cold. As she yawned, Erza offered her a bottle of water. Lucy took it thankfully.

"Are you feeling any better?" Erza asked. "For reasons I can understand, you were rather tired this morning and not very happy. I hope sleep has done you some good."

"It did…" Lucy replied softly. "At least, I think it did. I'm not as tired or upset as I was before."

"That's good. This means I don't have to punch Natsu as hard when we get back."

"Eheheh… Yeah, sure…" Lucy drank a swig of water. It was heaven against her dry mouth.

"We have just hours left before we arrive in Meyer," Erza said. "Are you prepared, Lucy?" Lucy nodded.

"Yeah… I think I am. Though I'm not sure how I'm going to go back to sleep, now..."

"Want I should administer to you the same technique I do Natsu?"

"Umm... No. I think I can handle it without getting knocked out."

"Very well."

* * *

"Natsu~! I gotta talk to you!" Happy cried as he flew back to his home. He knew it didn't matter if he was inside or not – Natsu would hear him coming anyway.

Happy flew through the only open window of their house quickly, eager to deliver Makarov's message. "Natsu, the master wanted to see you today! Why didn't you come to the guild?"

Silence answered him back.

Happy looked around in confusion. Like always, the one-room residence had become bathed in warm light due to the sunset in the distance. There was one major difference between today and the norm, however.

This time, Natsu was nowhere in sight.

* * *

Somewhere outside of Magnolia, a certain fire-breather was comparing his map to a local road sign. The sign had listed many different directions listed, but he was only interested in the first one.

_Altivian City: Ten miles north-east._

* * *

I have the entirety of chapter twenty planned out and a four-day weekend at my disposal. COME AT ME, BRO.

No, Madilia doesn't know what's happening with Natsu and Lucy.

(Also, ten miles isn't actually as bad as you might think - Especially for someone as fit as Natsu.)


	20. Natsu

May I just take the time to call everyone's attention to the piece of art done by sarumanka on deviantART? She's recently submitted a NaLu piece called Heartlines, and it is _gorgeous_. Her art style is a bit different, but _damn_ does she draw a good Natsu!

Without further ado, I bring you chapter twenty. A milestone in itself, and a very important piece of the story. (Seems to be a lot of those lately!)

* * *

_**Chapter 20 - Natsu**_

* * *

"Tch… I knew I was forgetting some details."

Makarov closed his book slowly, letting the pages fall onto themselves as he did. He knew his memory had omitted some guidelines for the Magical Break Up spell, but he didn't think he'd forgotten things as important as what he'd just read.

For the spell to work he'd need runes to be written; that's where Freed would come in handy. Makarov would attempt it himself, but it was likely there'd only be one chance to separate the lacrima from Koda's body – Which meant he could take no chances at messing up the runes. The green-haired Raijinshuu member was his only option.

What he had failed to remember was that, in order for the spell to be effective, the amount of people casting the spell needed to be the same as the people receiving it. The implications of that were grim. It meant Makarov would have to attempt to write the runes himself, or they'd have to find another way to take Koda down and get his children's magic back. Without a second person to cast the spell on, it would be useless.

Porlyusica was sure to get a kick out of _this_ one. The only spell he could think of to help them out, and for all intents and purposes, it wasn't useable. The plan he'd been forming in his head was beginning to crumble before he could even bring it up with Freed and Natsu.

Natsu.

There lied _another_ problem.

* * *

"_Master Makarov! We've got a problem!"_

_Happy burst into the Wizard Saint's office unannounced, looking rather troubled and out of breath. Makarov turned away from his bookshelf in surprise. The search for whichever book had the Magical Break Up spell listed in it would have to wait._

"_What is it, Happy?" the guild master asked, closing the door behind the cat. "And where's Natsu? Didn't you give him my message that I had a vital job for him?"_

"_I-I wanted to!" Happy cried in distress. "I went home to get him, and he wasn't there! His backpack was gone, too!"_

_Makarov blanched. Both Freed **and** Natsu were gone? How was he supposed to talk with them about his plan if they were both out of town? More importantly, why hadn't they **informed** him that they were leaving!?_

"_Happy, do you have **any** idea where Natsu might've gone?" he asked urgently. Happy's gaze shifted around the room nervously._

"_I… I don't know…" he whimpered. "I mean, I have an idea, but… I didn't think Natsu would actually bother to-"_

"_Pull yourself together and spit it out," Makarov demanded. Between the interruptions, the incidents with Koda, Madilia speaking with her brother behind his back, and the two mages he needed gone missing, the old man was hardly in a mood to be delicate. Happy played with his tail, not wanting to make eye contact with his master._

"_I… I think he went to go meet his parents, sir."_

_Of all the things Makarov could think of Natsu running off for without a word, that particular reason had never crossed his mind._

* * *

Makarov sighed deeply. To say that the old guild master was shocked by Happy's explanation would have been a _gross_ understatement. To say that he was surprised by Natsu's decision to leave temporarily would have been a complete and utter lie. He knew the Fire Dragonslayer was emotional and impulsive. If he felt he had to do something, he'd do it. _Still… _

Of all the times for fate to deal them a cruel hand, why _now_? Granted, Altivian wasn't _nearly_ as far as Meyer was, but it was still inconvenient for the fire-breather to just get up and go. He'd likely not want to take the train to and from the city either, which meant it would be even longer until the rose-haired boy got back.

He'd mentioned this problem to Porlyusica and Madilia before heading to his office for research. Porlyusica was even more displeased than he had been at the news. This didn't surprise him at all. What did surprise him was that Madilia's stoic mask had broken for the first time since she'd arrived there.

* * *

"_Natsu Dragneel… He has gone there… **Alone**?"_

"_Yes, why?" Makarov asked out of curiosity. Sarcastically, he added, "What? You didn't foresee this happening **beforehand**?"_

"_No, I…" Madilia bit the tip of her thumb nervously. "I could have sworn he… … This does not bode well. Not at all." Porlyusica raised an eyebrow._

"_Out with it, woman," she snapped. "Time is of the essence, and any information can help."_

"_She's right." Makarov nodded. "Get on with it."_

"_It's… Natsu Dragneel was supposed to be accompanied by Lucy Heartfilia when he headed to Altivian City," Madilia admitted slowly. "That is how it was supposed to go. If he is alone… I do not know what will happen, but I fear what is to come."_

* * *

The psychic woman had been beside herself upon learning the information. That did not ease the guild master's mind at all. If she couldn't tell what was going to happen now, then they _really_ had to be on their toes.

In short, Makarov Dreyar was not having a good day. He only prayed that the rest of the time until Freed's group and Natsu returned would go by smoothly.

* * *

"Tch, stingy bastards."

Natsu trudged through the city streets with a scowl on his face. Upon arriving in Altivian City, the first thing he did was search for a place to eat. Unlike Hargeon or Magnolia, though, the restaurants in Altivian did not offer 'all you can eat' as a choice. They cut him off after he ordered two meals for himself. It went without saying that that wasn't _nearly_ enough to fill him up – Especially after he'd walked and run a good twenty miles and hardly slept for the past two nights.

He kicked aside a rock that was in his path, sending it crashing into a nearby trash bin. He was running low on energy, he was in a city he'd never been to before, and he had no idea where to start looking for his supposed 'parents'. It was not going well for the Fairy Tail mage so far.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" a male voice asked. Natsu looked over his shoulder, his scowl deepening when he saw a guard coming up to him.

"Aww, great," he muttered. "What the _hell_ did I do now?" The guard looked very nonplussed at the grouchy question.

"I… You're not in trouble... But you do look lost, and your clothing is definitely not from around here," he explained. "I merely want to know if there's anything you need?"

"No, thanks," Natsu replied hastily. Giving it a second thought, he quickly corrected his answer. "Actually… I'm looking for some people. You think you could give me an address?"

"An address? Why, of course!" the guard said with a smiled. He pulled a large book seemingly out of nowhere, and flipped it open. "Now, who do you wish to find?"

"Err…" Natsu scratched his head as he tried to remember the names. "Isdona, I'm pretty sure… Ervana 'n Cobalt…?"

"_Those_ two?" The guard's eyes widened. "Well… I can tell you where they live, but they won't be home until much later."

"Why not?"

"They run stores in the middle of the city. They won't get off for another couple hours." The guard raised a brow. "I can guide you to the area where they work, if you wish…"

Natsu thought about the offer hard. Should he go meet them just like that? More of him thought it would be better not to. He'd rather not walk up to them in broad daylight and go 'Hey, I'm the kid you've been looking for' – Especially in public. With a wave of his hand, Natsu replied, "Nah, just give me their address. I'll go wait for them near their house." The guard eyed him with mild suspicion.

"Alright, then… May I ask what your relationship to those two psychos is, though?"

"Psychos, huh?" Natsu chuckled. "Well, I've certainly been called that before. 'Like parent, like child', I guess."

"… Wait." The guard turned a ghostly shade of white. "Y-You're the _offspring_ that crazy couple?"

"I guess." Natsu shrugged. _At least, according to Lucy I am…_ The guard nearly dropped the address book.

"E-Err, right. Well…" The older man cleared his throat. "They live outside the city, on Burgundy Hill. Just travel around the outskirts of Altivian, and you'll definitely come across it. White house, nothing else really around it aside from the forest. Oh, and watch out for wild animals. No matter where you walk outside the city, there's always going to be boards and other beasts looking for food."

"Really!?" Natsu exclaimed. While the guard thought he would be turned off by the prospect of danger, Natsu seemed rather excited about it. "Alright! I'll beat up anything that comes my way and roast 'em alive!" _More food! Take that, you damned stingy chefs!_ With a toothy grin, the Dragonslayer waved good-bye to the guard – Ignoring the unsettled expression on his face at the 'roasting alive' part – And ran off. "Thanks for the info!"

The guard sighed heavily. "Oh, dear… I don't think this city can handle another weirdo like them…"

* * *

"_Ughh_! Why is this place so far!?" Lucy moaned. Her feet were trudging along the dirt floor, no doubt weathering the tips of her sneakers quite a bit. Freed _really_ hadn't been kidding when he said it'd take no less than two hours of walking to get to Mosa's house.

"I concur…" Levy added in a similarly exhausted tone.

"Grin and bear it, you two," Erza said. While the younger girls were falling behind from fatigue, the Requip mage was still keeping up and going strong. "Are we nearly there, Freed?"

"Yes," the man of the group replied. Lucy and Levy let out silent cries of gratitude. Freed stared at the path ahead. "It shouldn't be much longer. Once we get over those hills, we'll be able to see Mosa-san's home."

As it turns out, Freed was absolutely right. As soon as the group made it over to the other side, they could see a flat, one-story house with additions on either side of it. Other than the building, road, and grassy fields, there wasn't much else going on.

Lucy and Levy took it upon themselves to turn their relief into energy and dash all the way down the road. They got there far faster than Erza and Freed did, but collapsed against the house from exhaustion as soon as they reached their destination.

"I feel I should mention that that's bad for your health…" Erza told them with a frown.

"No… kidding…" Lucy wheezed. Levy would've added her own reply, if not for the fact that she was still trying to catch her breath. Freed merely shook his head at the display and went to knock at the front door.

"Mosa-san?" he called. He rapped his knuckles against the wood again. "Are you here at the moment?"

"Maybe he's gone out?" Erza suggested.

"Maybe…" Freed hummed. He tried again. "Mosa-san!"

_**WHAM.**_

The door opened, smacking Freed in the face with the force of an Elfman-swung baseball bat. Lucy and Levy jumped back to their feet, startled by the noise. Erza remained passive.

"I heard you the _first_ time, you moron!" the person responsible for the opening yelled. Out stepped an old man of average height wearing a plaid shirt with dark slacks. Obviously he had aged gracefully, as his face showed the barest hint of wrinkles. His narrowed eyes and spiked white hair completed his appearance.

"M-Mosa-san…" Freed muttered the man's name, pushing the door away from him. Lucy winced at the bruise now present across the green-haired boy's face. Mosa snorted.

"Oh, it's Lightning Boy again. I see you still haven't tamed those cowlicks of yours."

"They aren't cowlicks, and I don't intend to," Freed answered calmly. It was obvious that he was used to the man's behavior already.

"Fine, be that way. Now, what do you want?" Mosa raised a brow at the other three in the group. "Obviously nobody here needs healing or resting."

"No." Freed gestured to Lucy. "This young lady would like to ask you a question or two." Mosa eyed Lucy up and down, and shrugged.

"Eh. She seems alright, I guess." _'I guess'…? Hmph!_ Lucy scoffed inwardly. Mosa didn't notice her silent response. Instead, he stepped right back through the doorway and motioned for the Fairy Tail mages to enter. "Well? Come on in. Just don't expect any snacks or anything to pop out of nowhere."

"Never, Mosa-san," Freed replied, following behind the older man. Lucy and Levy were hesitant to enter, but a helpful push from Erza got them through the doorway quickly enough.

* * *

The inside of the house was comfy with its country tan-and-brown color scheme, despite the owner being a tad tetchy and rude. Levy made it a point to mention that the décor made it seem more like a grandparent's house than anything. Lucy found it slightly ironic since, fundamentally, Mosa _was_ a grandparent.

"You certainly seem like an intelligent man," Erza commented as she observed the living room. "For you to have all these books around."

"Heh. What can I say?" Mosa shrugged nonchalantly, the barest hint of pride showing in his smirk. "I'm a simple man who doesn't like a lot of the modern day stuff going on in cities. I'd much rather live out here with my novels."

"I think we misjudged him, Lu-chan," Levy whispered. "He can't be all bad if he's a book lover!"

"I know," Lucy said with a giggle. "First impressions are really nothing to go by, huh?"

"It's rude to whisper in other people's houses!" Mosa snapped at them, his countenance changing in a millisecond.

"S-Sorry!" the two girls apologized together. _Then again,_ Lucy thought. _He's **still** pretty prickly…_

"I'm sure they meant to harm, Mosa-san," Freed said. "They're just a bit excited since they both share a love of words as well."

"Ah. Young readers, eh?"

"That and they talk quite a bit."

"Most women do, kid."

"Hey, that's not very nice!" Levy cried. Mosa laughed at her distress. Freed shrugged it off. Lucy smiled to herself.

"Do you live here alone?" Erza asked, changing the subject very quickly. Mosa's smile receded.

"Sure do…" he replied quietly. "My wife died two years ago, so staying in the same house we lived in was just making me depressed. The fresh air out here is good for me, and the fact that nobody else lives around here for a few miles make it quiet. I like that."

"Our condolences."

"Did you have any children, Mosa-san?" Levy inquired.

"Why are you so curious about my life?" Mosa raised a brow. "Is this just you women being your usual nosy selves?"

"Actually, part of our mission relies on speaking with you," Lucy answered hurriedly, afraid that Levy would go off on the older man again for his comments. "It's the reason why we came here."

"And what's the mission?"

"I promise I'll explain after you answer."

"And what if I won't answer until you explain it to me?"

"Err…" Lucy frowned. "Uhh… Please just answer."

"He doesn't have to," Erza interrupted. She pointed to a picture on a nearby bookshelf. "This is you when you were younger, correct Mosa-san?" Mosa nodded.

"Yup. My hair spiked up a lot more back then."

"Let me see!" Levy dashed over to the other side of the room to glance at the portrait. She took the frame in her hand and instantly cooed at it. "Aww, you were handsome back in the days!"

"I'm still handsome!" Mosa protested.

"Not only that, but is that your daughter?" Levy had completely ignored the man in favor of her own commentary. Lucy leaned over Levy's shoulder to catch a glimpse of the photo. It showed a young Mosa and a small child, presumably around age eight. She shared his eyes and hair, right down to the way it curled upwards as if there was some type of natural hair gel in her system. Definitely his daughter, and definitely obvious as to who it was.

"This is Ervana-san, isn't it?" Lucy asked Levy. The bluenette nodded.

"No doubt about it."

"How do you two know my daughter's name?" Mosa's tone was curious, but more than anything Lucy could hear the underlying suspicion it held.

"She's related to our mission, sir," Lucy replied.

"In what way?"

"She's the one that hired us," Levy added. Suddenly, the Solid Script mage found herself being roughly grabbed by her shirt collar. Levy instantly held her breath, trying to fight off Mosa's hardened glare.

"_What_ are you **_talking_ **about, _girl_?" he snarled.

"Hey! Let go of her!" Lucy yelled. Erza immediately summoned one of her swords, and pointed it at Mosa's head.

"Release Levy or you will suffer _**dire**_ consequences, sir," she demanded in a low voice.

"I don't think you will actually bring Levy harm, but it would be best to do as Titania asks," Freed interjected. Slowly, Levy felt the grip on her shirt loosen. Mosa opened his hand and released the small girl, taking a step back to calm himself.

"I'm sorry," he apologized tartly. "But I _don't_ take kindly to jokes like that."

"Jokes?" Erza repeated, sheathing her sword via Requip magic. "What makes you think we are joking?"

"Because Ervana couldn't possibly have hired you for a job," Mosa explained. "She's been dead for fourteen years."

Those words sunk into everyone slowly and with great weight. Freed's shock was mild compared to the other three mages in the room since he didn't know what was going on in the first place. The female trio was visibly taken aback by this piece of information, as indicated by their wide brown eyes and the fearfulness behind each pair.

"She's… She's _dead_?" Levy choked on the words as they came out of her mouth.

"But that's impossible!" Erza exclaimed. She sounded more angry than surprised. "I have reviewed Lucy's notes and the job information thoroughly, and I refuse to believe that my friends are liars! They truly were hired to locate your daughter's child! Are you saying that they have been deceived!?"

"_Child_?" Mosa snorted and folded his arms. "I don't know what you're playing at, but my daughter was never married, and she was _certainly_ never _pregnant_. So yes, I _am_ saying that you've been deceived."

"N-No way…" Levy felt like she was on the verge of tears. "B-But that's…!"

"Someone explain what's going on," Freed insisted. "I'm out of the loop here, and I shouldn't be."

"You need to leave."

"Huh?" The Raijinshuu boy turned to Lucy as she spoke. The celestial mage was shaking where she stood.

"Freed, you need to use your Dark Écriture Wings and fly back to the guild as fast as possible," Lucy said. "Get to Master Makarov and tell him what's going on!"

"Lucy, what's the matter?" Erza questioned her with an intense glare. She wasn't angry with the blonde, but she was still pissed about the deception her friends had suffered.

"Yes, I'm rather curious. What's going on?" Freed tried asking again. "Why is it so important that I report this to the master?" Lucy shrieked out her answer in fright.

"_Because Natsu is in danger_!"

* * *

There was no doubt about it. Natsu was terrible at waiting.

He was more or less annoyed with the fact that despite what that guard had said, there weren't many wild animals running around the woods. He'd found maybe one, two wild boars tops – And they'd both run at the sight of him. Natsu figured it had to do with the fact that he'd shouted something about roasting and eating them while his hands were flared with flames, but since when had _that_ tactic failed him?

Needless to say, he was starving and felt like he'd fall asleep in the tree he sat in unless _something_ happened soon.

The sun had begun veering towards the west, meaning that afternoon had come and gone. Now it was nearing dusk, and the fire-eater still hadn't seen hide nor tail of his 'parents'. He was starting to think he'd been played.

Natsu reached down to his backpack – Which was hanging off the branch he was situated on – And snatched his canteen up greedily. Food was something he couldn't do anything about, but he'd be damned if he let himself go thirsty as well.

If he was truthful with himself, the Salamander would say he preferred that these people were taking longer. His nerves were jumbled and all over the place, plus he was still wondering whether or not Lucy was right about this or not. This situation was entirely too unreal, and he wasn't sure if he could trust it. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Yet, when he saw the picture of that white-haired woman… When he saw her holding onto that little pink-haired boy with hair equally as spiked and wild… Something resonated within him. He couldn't recall any memories of her at all, but in his chest there was the feeling of forgotten arms. He vaguely wondered if he would remember anything once he saw her again.

Depending on how this meeting went, he'd either have to kill Lucy or kiss her.

Natsu paused. Since when had _either_ of those been options to him before?

A new scent flew to his nose before he could ponder that any further. It smelled vaguely of the city, flesh, and… Dirt? It was an odd combination, and worth checking out. The rosette hopped down from his branch, leaving his canteen and backpack behind. Depending on what the scent led two, he wouldn't immediately need them.

He leapt past the trees with ease, only stopping when he knew the scent was close. Now, he was dangerously close to the forest's end and could see his parents' house clearly just by moving his head to one side. He kept himself close and up against a nearby tree, waiting to see what was bringing this new scent to his attention.

He was rather surprised to see the white-haired woman in Lucy's pictures coming up from the bottom of the hill, carrying a large shoulder bag.

Natsu held his breath as if just that would alert the woman to his presence. He'd met her before. He had. He _knew_ he had. That familiar feeling was back, and even stronger than it had been when he was in Lucy's room. There was still no formal recognition in his mind, however, and it was killing him that he didn't know _why_.

He punched the tree he was hiding behind in frustration. There was just something not right here! What was he missing!?

"Who's there!?" he heard Ervana yell. "Is there someone nearby!?"

Natsu blinked in confusion. How had she heard him? He thought he was being silent! When he saw the leaves fluttering down from above, he knew where the noise had come from. It's probably been the vibrations from his fist against the trunk. God damn it, he didn't mean to _dent_ the damn thing! He needed to get a handle on his own strength in situations like this.

He ran a hand through his bangs. There wasn't much point in keeping himself concealed any longer, was there? He could probably outrun the woman if he had to… But he didn't really _want_ to run. Swallowing his tangled nerves, the Dragonslayer moved from behind the now-tilted tree and made his way past the forest's edge.

In the end, it was obvious he hadn't gotten rid of all his nerves. His stomach started to do gymnastics as soon as he made eye contact with the woman.

So this was supposed to be his mother? She was pretty, Natsu decided. Pretty yet weird, as she was wearing a sweater when it was warm outside. _Kinda' like Lucy,_ he mused.

Ervana was oblivious to what was going on inside the mage's head. She frowned at him, and cocked her head to one side. "I'm… sorry, but… Who are you?"

Natsu felt his throat go dry at the question. Could he really answer that without a doubt? He felt he couldn't. As fast as he could, he ran through things in his head again, trying to figure out what to say.

"I… Well…" Natsu scratched behind his head. "My name is Natsu…"

"My apologies," Ervana replied. "I don't know anyone named Natsu." For a moment, the rosette felt his chest tighten in dejection. Had Lucy been wrong after all? This woman truly didn't know him? _No…_ He shook his head. _She just doesn't know 'Natsu'._

"Err, that's… Let me try again." It was pretty stupid to expect her to know that his name had been changed. Natsu's hand slid into his pocket, while his opposite one continued rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe you know the name Irien?"

Ervana still looked confused for seconds after. Then, to Natsu's surprise, the woman's eyes changed. Their style and color remained the same, but their essence was completely different. Her purse slid from her now-limp arm.

"I… Irien…?" Natsu gave her the smallest nod he could muster, still unsure of the situation. If he wasn't this woman's son, he'd surely be going to Hell for impersonating him. The worries flew from his mind temporarily when he saw Ervana launch herself at him.

He'd be fooling himself if he said he wasn't surprised by the hug. He was surprised that the woman's sheer running force nearly knocked him from his feet. Ervana's arms wrapped around him tightly, limiting his movement. Natsu could feel her body shaking.

"O-Oh my goodness… You really _are_…" she gasped into his chest. "Irien, you… You've grown up…"

"Guess so," Natsu said curtly. He wasn't sure how to react to the hug at all. Should he hug back? That wasn't like him, and he didn't think he'd feel comfortable. Then again, if this was his mother, why _shouldn't_ he feel comfortable?

The scent from before attacked his nose with full force. With wide eyes, Natsu realized that the woman wrapped around him was the source. That was odd. It wasn't how he pictured the woman smelling. It wasn't how he pictured _any_ normal person smelling.

Before he could ask her about it, Ervana pulled back with a jolt and gently pushed him back at arm's length. "Irien, you have to get out of here!" she cried urgently. "_Now_!" Her shout confused him more than her scent.

"Why?" he asked. "What's wrong-?"

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, indicating danger was nearby. A bright light from behind accompanied the feeling of dread. Natsu turned to face the forest again, readying his battle stance.

"You stay behind me," he growled to Ervana. "There's something here."

"No!" the woman protested. "You need to leave! Before you get hurt!"

"Hurt? Listen, you should really be worrying about yourself-!"

As soon as he looked away to speak with Ervana, Natsu felt white hot light piece his skin in many different areas. Fighting not to scream in pain, he gripped where it burned the most – His abdomen – And felt something wet and sticky pouring out from within. He didn't have to think twice to realize it was blood. Considering he'd gotten hit in other places, he guessed he was more hurt than he felt.

"_Irien_!" Ervana cried. Natsu ignored her.

"_What_ in the…?" he muttered. "_Who's there_!?" he shouted to the tree line. Once again, the bright light came; only this time, it was a different color entirely. Natsu didn't like this at all. As he was ready to run and dodge an incoming attack, he heard someone yell.

"_Reverse Sheng Magic: Extinguished Summer_!"

Suddenly, Natsu felt every ounce of strength he had leave his body. Unable to hold himself up any longer, he fell to his knees and nearly doubled over from the pain he was in. With his power zapped, the injuries he'd sustained before had begun to take their toll on him as they would a normal person. It was only his pride and willpower that kept him from screaming out painful obscenities.

_What the hell is going on here!?_ he yelled internally.

Footsteps sounded in his ears.

"I'm surprised you're not completely out by now, Salamander," a cold voice scoffed. "Then again, what else should I expect from Fairy Tail's most tenacious wizard?"

Natsu couldn't reply on account of the fact that the person speaking decided to kick him down with as much force as possible. The Dragonslayer was knocked from his knees and onto his side, his sides burning with newly-discovered open wounds._ This… isn't good._ He heard laughter.

"Thank goodness my subordinate was done with his silly little mind games," the man chuckled. "I was beginning to think I'd _never_ get the chance to inflict pain upon you myself."

The amount of blood pouring from the gash on his stomach hadn't let up. Natsu could feel himself becoming more light-headed by the second. When he tried to look up at his attacker, his vision was blurred and he could only make out the colors yellow and blue.

Cauterizing his wounds would be the best move. He needed to seal them up quick, before he completely bled out. When he tried to burn the gashes shut, though, nothing happened. Confused, he tried harder to set his hand aflame. Not even a spark. Fear settled within him.

"My… magic…?"

"You still have it at the moment," the same voice answered. "However, you are unable to use it. You are as weak and powerless as the other three. And soon…" With a deep chuckle, the person reached down and pulled Natsu up by his scarf. "Soon, very soon, Natsu Dragneel… The Flame of Emotion will belong to me."

Natsu tried to process the meaning behind those words. It was made very impossible to after the man punched him straight on. The rosette flew from his grip and to the ground again, and he couldn't even muster up a grunt of revulsion.

With much of his bodily fluids gone and his body pierced and burnt the way it was, Natsu wasn't surprised when he began to black out. The last thing he heard before everything went dark was the sound of Ervana crying out for him over and over again.

* * *

Alright, now shit has hit the fan. You may all thank me for the cliffhanger now.

Sorry this is so late. Had to start up the next arc of my original story and deal with the fangirls posting on my Facebook over it. They're scary sometimes.

(Also, have I mentioned how much I hate writing battle scenes?)


	21. Smolder

Huh. Not sure what to say here, aside from the fact that this was uploaded much earlier than I planned due to cutting it in half. Hmm...

Oh, wait! I know!

_Fuck AP Psychology._

* * *

**_Chapter 21 - Smolder_**

* * *

It wasn't too much later when Natsu finally managed to climb back to consciousness. When he came to, the first thing he noticed was that his head was pounding and simply trying to open his eyes made his temporal hurt like a bitch – It equated to having been smashed with a hammer multiple times in one specific spot while suffering from a hangover. Also, the right side of his face was ice cold. This was a mental warning flare to him – As a Fire Dragonslayer, he should _never_ be cold. That was more Gray's department.

The thought of the ice mage triggered a deep-throated rumble from within the fire-breather's chest.

"I'll… kill… him…" he growled.

"_Murder is not in your heart, Salamander_," a familiar tone echoed. "_And you are in no position to pose a threat at the moment, anyway_."

At the frigid voice, Natsu willed himself to try opening his eyes again. It was easier the second time around now that he was slightly conscious. As his onyx orbs peered through his eyelids, he was surprised to see nothing but more blackness. He blinked to make sure he was really awake. _No doubt about it_, he thought. _It's just super dark in here…_ That brought on another question: Where _was_ he?

He couldn't ponder for long before his head began to throb again. Against his will, he groaned loudly. "Head hurts…" he muttered.

"_I'd be more surprised if it didn't. It seems you're human after all, boy_." The voice was as cold as his body now was.

Faint recognition passed through. Natsu knew that voice. Yes. The owner of the voice was responsible for his current state. He was the reason why his body felt unnaturally hypothermic.

Summoning the strength he had left to his arms, Natsu pushed his body upwards so he could better see where he was. However, he cringed and nearly fell back to the ground as soon as he did. He reached down to touch his stomach slowly and seethed when he felt the wound there just beginning to heal. _Right… Forgot about that… Maybe I shouldn't have gotten up so fast._

He also remembered the reason why that particular wound was still hurting him. Natsu's eyes widened. _Shit! My magic!_ Natsu held up his hand, and tried to light his hand up again. He cursed loudly when he failed to at least get a spark going.

"_Don't even bother. I've already drained you of what magic energy you had_." Natsu snarled upon hearing the voice again, and looked up and around at nothing in particular.

"Where are you, you bastard!? Come and fight me face-to-face!"

"_Silly lizard. Do you think you'd stand a chance against me as powerless as you are now_?"

To Natsu's surprise, a cloud of color opened up in the darkness. When it became clear enough to see into, the Dragonslayer could at last see the face of the man who had reduced him to pain and cold.

The man was blonde with darker skin like his own, and was dressed entirely in blue. His hair was straight and thin, coming down to just below his chin. His eyes were a cold shade of green and complimented his vicious grin very well. He looked very different from the man and woman standing behind him.

Natsu's breath caught in his throat. He recognized them both. They were the red-haired man from the photos, and then the woman he had met earlier.

His mother.

"_Ervana_!"

Ervana didn't respond to the mage's call at all. She merely stood behind the man, hands at her sides and unmoving. Her eyes were dead and half-closed. Cobalt looked very much the same. The man chuckled.

"_She cannot hear you, Salamander. Nor will I let her_."

"_Let her go_!" Natsu demanded, ignoring the searing pain as he attempted to stand. "Who are you anyway, you bastard!? If you hurt her, I _swear_-!"

"_You'll what_?" The man put on a curious face that made him look deceptively innocent. "_You can barely even stand. You'd be lucky to land a finger on Discord Palette's Koda Mezzali_."

"So _that's_ your name," Natsu spat. "I don't care _what_ you do with me since I'll get out of here eventually; but if you so even _touch_ that woman-!"

"_Why do you care, boy_?" The dark guild leader hummed to himself. "_Oh, that's right! She's the one who birthed you_." As the fire-eater bared his fangs, Koda merely chuckled. "_At least, that's what you've been fooled into thinking_."

Natsu's face changed in an instant. Instead of anger, there was now the picture of confusion.

"What in the _hells_ are you _talking_ about?"

"_My subordinate's mind games, as I mentioned before_." Koda gestured to Ervana behind him. "_You see, Cyander mentioned to me that it is easier to steal a mage's magic when their emotional defenses are weak. After some thinking I realized there was some merit to his idea, so I allowed him to do as he pleased with a handful of you Fairy Tail wizards so long as I ended up with your power. He was rather grateful to be causing pain again_."

"What are you getting at, you bastard?"

"_Must I spell it out for you_?" Koda sighed impatiently. "_Cyander played his biggest trick on __**you**__, Salamander. The woman who stands here is of no blood relation to you whatsoever. She is not even among the living anymore_." Natsu's eyes widened despairingly.

"_What_…?"

"_You heard me_." Koda smiled. "_I admit that Cyander may have gone a little overboard with your case… Usually he just pulls memories out from the recesses of people's minds, but since you are fairly strong, he wanted to 'play his big cards', as he put it. These people, Ervana Isdona and Cobalt Nulspina, are both dead. Cyander merely added skin to their bones and acted as a puppeteer using an earth-type Lost Magic. However, I must say_…" Koda walked over to Ervana and her blank stare, cupping her chin in his hand. "_For his manipulation to break so easily, this woman __**must**__ have had some connection to you in the past_. _Just thought I'd let you know that_." Natsu had barely keyed in on the explanation, managing to only pick up a select few portions of it.

"I… I don't get it," he muttered. "If they're not my… Then _what_…? Who…? Who _are_ my parents…?"

"_Long gone, I'd assume_," a new voice answered. From the murky depths of the dark illusion stepped a man with long, light blue hair and wearing a pair of casual slacks. His grin was even more untrustworthy than Koda's, from just a glance. From the color of his hair and the fact that he was around Koda, Natsu would bet anything that this was the previously-mentioned Cyander. "_Salamander, from what I understand, you don't have any parents. At least, not any that __**wanted**__ you_." The Dragonslayer wasn't sure if he should be feeling angry or curious at the speech. He settled on both.

"Whaddaya mean, 'wanted me'?"

"_You're a little orphan boy_," Cyander continued with his perpetual grin. "_Isn't it obvious? Abandoned at a random person's door and raised accordingly due to their kindness, never even knowing the full truth. It's such a sickeningly sweet and hackneyed scenario I could vomit_."

"That's…" Natsu's throat lost moisture again. "You're lying… That's not true…"

"_What isn't? That you were raised by strangers, or the fact that your real parents didn't care about you enough to keep you in the first place?_" Cyander chuckled. "_A hard-headed, brash, unintelligent mage without any powers left… And now, you can add discarded infant to that list_." Natsu kept mumbling things in reply, his being trembling in the darkness.

"Not true… You're _lying_."

"_I'm not lying. I suppose you've met my sister, Lia-chan? We have similar abilities in that we can see other people's past memories to an extent. Before sending them under, I managed to pick up some remaining last wishes and feelings from this woman's corpse. It wasn't hard to connect the dots considering she supposedly knew you in her former life. My words are true, Salamander_."

"Stop it."

"_You are an unwanted child. Unwanted by your parents, unwanted by the people who stole you away_…"

"Go away."

"_To some extent, you may even be unwanted by your own guild._"

"_Liar_."

"_Natsu Dragneel: Fairy Tail's resident problem child. Don't you think everyone is tired of your trouble-making and idiocy by now? Don't you think your teammates are tired of cleaning up your messes?_"

"Shut _up_…"

"_And __**then**__ there's the dragon who abandoned you_."

"I said, _shut __**up**_…!"

"_It's not hard to see why he did, actually. You're unbelievably stubborn, you don't listen, and you're a selfish brat. Your power is all you have. Underneath that tough exterior lies your true self. An emotionally-dependant, weak little simpleton whose worth can't be compared to the smallest amount of Jewels._"

"_SHUT UP, SHUT UP, __**SHUT UP**__!_"

Natsu strained his voice as he yelled at Cyander at the top of his lungs. He punched the ground repeatedly with his hands, wishing he could go all out and burn something. Tears had formed at the corners of his eyes, but they hadn't spawned from distress or despair. They were tears of anger. The fire-breather was the living personification of pure fury by now, with clenched fists and loud seething to match how he felt. Had he still been able to use magic, there would've been flames sprouting up around him by now.

"_What will it take to get you to stop __**talking**__ already_!?" Natsu yelled at the image of Koda and Cyander. "_I've heard __**enough**__ of your bullshit_! _Come over here and __**fight**__ me, you bastards_!"

"_Oh, dear. I don't think he seems to realize that he can't defeat us as a normal person_," Cyander muttered.

"_Unsurprising, considering his base personality_," Koda replied nonchalantly. "_Either way, I must soon leave for a certain lively town. I have some more fairy wings to pluck before I go to meet the council_." Natsu didn't have to think twice to know what that meant. He'd heard similar lines too many times to count on both hands.

"_Let me __**out**__ of here_!" the Dragonslayer screamed. Enraged and emotional, Natsu continued to futilely pound the floor in an attempt to escape the arena of darkness surrounding him. "_If you want to attack my guild, you've gotta go through __**me**__ first!_"

"_I already have, Salamander. Or have you forgotten that you're currently trapped in a Dusk Cage due to your loss?_" Natsu cursed again. Koda chuckled at his language. "_For now, Natsu Dragneel, I will end this conversation. Have fun in there, knowing you've failed to overcome that which threatens your precious nakama._"

With that, the color and shapes dissipated into the misty shadows and the rosette was left alone again. Roaring in rage, Natsu stood up and ran for the edge of the darkness and slammed his fists against it. His efforts were ineffective and only served to agitate his wound more. Unable to keep up his attacks without reopening the gash on his stomach, he sunk down to his knees and wiped the wetness from his eyes.

"Damn it… _Damn it_… _DAMN IT_!" he yelled. "That stupid bastard's gonna **_pay_ **for this!"

Oh, yes. Natsu was _eagerly_ looking forward to halting Koda and his subordinate in his tracks once he found his way out of the Dusk Cage.

_I'm gonna get out of here,_ he vowed. _And when I do… Say your prayers, you sunnuva' bitch. I'm gonna __**end**__ you!_

* * *

"Say, Cyander," Koda began. "How much of that information was true?"

"Hmm? Which information?"

"The stuff you were saying about Salamander being an orphan and all that. I know for a fact that your powers are _nothing_ like that of Lia-chan's."

"Oh." Cyander shrugged. "Hell if I know. For all intents and purposes, I made all that up. I just wanted to make him mad."

"Hmph." Koda wasn't sure if that was a wise decision, but didn't think too much of it. He was used to this type of behavior by now. "You will stay here and maintain this magic while I make my way to Magnolia."

"_Huh_!?" Cyander frowned at the sudden order. "But I wanted to come and help!"

"I can handle things at Fairy Tail on my own. I need you to make sure the Dragneel kid here can't escape." Suddenly, Koda's hand became bathed in familiar flames. "I have his magic for now, but you know he'll try to get out once the Flame of Emotion regenerates within him. He's a Dragonslayer – He'll be able to feel the return of his power, and I need him here for future reference."

"Hmph. Fine." Cyander folded his arms. "Just remember to say hi to my sister for me, alright?"

"Of course I will."

* * *

"This is bad… Really, really bad…"

Ever since they got back on the train to Magnolia, Lucy had been a high-strung bundle of nerves. Moreover, she didn't want to let Levy or Erza know the reason behind her edginess; and with the way the blonde's leg refused to stop shaking, her friends could only imagine what was going on in her mind.

"Lu-chan, just _tell_ us," Levy pleaded again. "You're jumpy and biting your nails… Whatever you're thinking about, I'm pretty sure you'll feel better if you share."

"Levy's right, Lucy," Erza added. "Keeping things to yourself when they're making you paranoid is not good."

"I don't want to make you guys worried until after we get back home," Lucy responded with a quiet voice.

"But if you keep going like this for hours and hours, you're going to lose it," Levy argued. Pursing her worried lips, the bluenette continued. "Lu-chan, you sent Freed back to the guild in such a hurry and forced us to leave Mosa's house just as quickly. You've obviously figured out something that we haven't." Lucy didn't reply. Erza narrowed her eyes.

"Lucy. Does this by any chance have to do with what that psychic told us when we visited?"

A twitch of the whip-bearer's shoulders suggested yes.

"Sort of," Lucy replied meekly. "It's about when she was explaining why that man with blue hair was in the infirmary…"

"Her brother."

"Yeah."

"Madilia-san has a brother?" Levy's eyes widened. "I didn't know that…"

"It was best you didn't, truth be told," Erza said. "But that's beside the point. Lucy, what's going on? You said Natsu was in danger, but you've hardly gone into the reason why."

"Because wizard's powers weaken when they're emotionally unstable or are going through some type of inner, emotional turmoil," Lucy answered quickly. "Since we learned that Ervana-san is dead… I can't help but shake the feeling that this mission of ours has all been a ruse to get us to lower our guards so we would be easier to defeat. And if not us specifically… Then definitely Natsu."

"You don't mean-? … Oh, _gods_…" Levy cupped her hands over her mouth to hide a gasp. "You don't mean that man Koda is going to go after _Natsu_…? He's going to-!"

"Steal his magic," Erza finished for her. "I have no trouble admitting that Natsu, while irrational and immature, has some of the strongest innate magic in the guild – Enough to even surpass me someday, with the right discipline and training. If Koda wants to strike it big, the powers of a Fire Dragonslayer will be essential to him."

"That's not the only thing I'm worried about." Lucy crossed her legs to prevent them from further shaking. "Do you remember when we learned that Gray and Elfman had their magic stolen? Don't you guys find it odd that Bisca and Alzack were fine despite the other boys being drained? Why would they be untouched aside from physical wounds? Furthermore, why wasn't _Erza's_ magic stolen back when she was victimized?"

"Maybe they didn't remember?" Levy tried to answer, albeit unhelpfully. "Or maybe it's because they didn't consider Bisca and Alzack's magic strong enough to be worth taking?"

"Doubt it, since Erza was left untouched and she's the strongest woman in the guild." Lucy took in a breath. "What I'm thinking is… Maybe it's because they can't steal Holder-type magic." Levy's eyes widened.

"You think that's it, Lu-chan?"

"I can't think of another explanation. If the ex-leader of Discord Palette is really so greedy for power, why wouldn't he have taken Erza's Requip magic from her? Or Bixlow's, for that matter?"

"That's true, but… Freed is a Caster-type too, and he was obviously okay after their fight."

"That might just be circumstantial. Freed is an expert at runes and barriers, so he's got extremely good defense. Even if Koda and Madilia-san's brother are strong, I doubt they're skilled enough to get past his spells."

"I've heard enough." Lucy and Levy watched Erza stand up, arms firmly at her sides. The determination etched across her features was solid and slightly frightening. The redhead pulled the two smaller girls from their seats, gripping their upper arms tightly. "We're leaving this train _now_."

Lucy and Levy could barely screech in surprise before Erza kicked open the train car's window and jumped out with the two of them under each of her arms. No sooner had she jumped than her Heaven's Wheel armor appeared in a bright flash of light.

"E-Erza! What are you _doing_!?" Lucy exclaimed, terrified of falling.

"We're not going to sit on that train for a day while our guild mates could be in trouble!" Erza pronounced, strength evident in her voice. "I can fly us back to the guild faster and make it back to prevent disaster!"

"B-But-! You shouldn't be so determined to head into battle!"

"And why not? You heard Lucy, Levy. As a non-Caster-type, my magic is secure. I have nothing to fear from them. That_ man_ will _**not**_ defeat me a second time. _I swear it_."

Lucy could've sworn the aura around the Requip mage had darkened at that last sentence. _Guess she's still holding a grudge._ "Erza's right, Levy-chan. She has no reason to fear her magic being stolen. She can fight, and so can I."

"I can't…" Levy lamented. "But I guess you guys win. Let's get back to Fairy Tail as quickly as possible."

* * *

Transition chapter again. Short by my standards, but at least it's over 3k.

Also, I officially have no clue how long this is gonna be. Definitely not longer than thirty chapters, but eh.


	22. Battleship

It seems like my inspiration only came back after my first quarter ended at school. I'm grateful for that.

I wrote this chapter in a span of three days. Hope it lives up to the wait. (Which, again, I'm very sorry for.)

* * *

_**Chapter 22 - Battleship**_

* * *

"Just a few more minutes and we'll be looking over Magnolia."

It wasn't surprising when Lucy didn't feel relieved by Erza's announcement. The blonde celestial wizard didn't want to be rude and tell her friend to fly faster, but the temptation to do so was strong. Erza's armor wasn't meant for flying fast, and especially not over long distances. Lucy was amazed she was still going at all.

A friendly poke to the check turned her attention to Levy. The bluenette smiled weakly. "Ease up, Lu-chan. This mess will be over soon."

"I sure hope you're right, Levy-chan…" Lucy sighed.

"Do you two see that?"

"Eh?" The younger girls gave Erza confused looks. Erza gestured to a figure on the ground below them. The person was small, had long blue hair, and was waving her arms around in a flail.

"Erza-saaaaan! Please stop!" a tiny voice called out for them. Levy blinked.

"Is that… Wendy?"

"Erza, take us down!" Lucy directed. Erza nodded in understanding.

When the trio of Fairy Tail females reached the ground, Wendy came running over to her elders with Charle in tow. Erza requipped out of her Heaven's Wheel armor and back into her normal Heart Kreuz attire. Lucy could tell by the magic she was giving off that the S-Class mage was feeling tired from flying so far in such a short amount of time, but she chose not to say anything. Erza was skillfully hiding her fatigue and the whip-user didn't want to be rude by pointing it out.

"Everyone, please listen!" Wendy pleaded. "We have a big problem!"

"What is it, Wendy?" Erza asked.

"And why are you away from Magnolia?" Levy added.

"Master Makarov sent us to meet you before you made it back to the guild!" Wendy explained in a high tone.

"But why?"

"Because Wendy is small and could get away without anyone noticing," Charle took over. "And I will never leave her by herself, so I tagged along; but that's beside the point. You mustn't head to Fairy Tail right away. That Discord Palette man is already making Makarov's acquaintance." The three teens held their breath.

"Which one?" Lucy asked tentatively.

"The leader. The one who is capable of stealing everyone's powers." Levy gasped.

"No… He's at Fairy Tail!?"

"But why would he attack so suddenly!?" Erza yelled.

"The master explained that Koda now has enough power to invade the council," Charle continued. "But he also thinks that the over-confidence he's gained from absorbing such powerful fire magic has made him less careful and more power-hungry."

"So he attacked the guild with the hopes of gaining even more magic energy."

"Correct."

"Then that means…" Lucy bit her lip worriedly. "Natsu… He's already…" Charle shook her head.

"He is not dead. What that man stole from the Fire Dragonslayer, the Flames of Emotion… They are regenerative. The magic will come back to him in time, but not nearly as quickly as we'd like. And with that magic, Koda is creating one huge fetid mess back at the guild."

"And you escaped?" Levy inquired. "How?"

"Master Makarov helped us," Wendy said, hands fidgeting as she spoke. "He wanted us to get out of there and track you down before you made it back. He says not to come."

"And why should we not!?" Erza snapped. "Our comrades are in danger, and he expects us to stay away!?"

"It's because he wants you to search for Natsu-san!" Wendy exclaimed. "For the plan Master Makarov came up with, he needs all wizards who don't have their magic anymore present!"

"Plan?" Lucy repeated. "What plan?"

"I shall explain," Charle took over again. "And I will start some time before the attack."

* * *

_It was exactly like Makarov to worry excessively when something concerned the safety of his children. Everyone was used to this, and the mages at Fairy Tail appreciated his father-like guidance. So when Freed came to the guild and mentioned that Levy and Lucy's mission had been a fake, no one was surprised when the Wizard Saint's face became painted over with dread._

_He knew enough about the mission to make the assumption that they were in danger. Not just the members currently at the guild, but Natsu as well. If the Fire Dragonslayer had gone off to Altivian with the intent of meeting parents that didn't legitimately exist… The boy was in some serious trouble. And because this concerned the whole guild, he wasn't afraid to share the information with the guild._

"_You mean they were **tricked**?" Cana snarled. "Those **bastards**!"_

"_I feel bad for Natsu…" Warren murmured. Macao and Wakaba snorted in their seats._

"_I understand that they needed him weaker, but fooling him into thinking he has human parents?"_

"_That's just going too far."_

"_Lucy and Levy were already throwing everything they had into the mission," Laki added. "I can't imagine how they feel, knowing that their mission was a fake one."_

"_Not to mention they helped bring disaster," Elfman said rather tactlessly. Mirajane glared at her brother before turning back to Makarov._

"_What should we do, Master?" she asked worriedly. "When the leader of Discord Palette gets his hands on Natsu's fire-"_

"_**If** he does," Makarov corrected her sharply. "We don't know for sure what's going to happen."_

"_Pah," Porlyusica spat. "That pyromaniac has strength, but little to no brains. He won't know how to defend himself against an opponent that can steal his magic; and did you forget that he doesn't realize he's walking straight into a trap?"_

"_No, I've thought over the situation carefully," the guild master assured her. "If Natsu's magic is taken from him, then so be it; but for now, let's assume Natsu can escape in one piece… Even if Lucy **isn't** with him." The last comment was made towards Madilia. "Now, Freed. I'm going to need your help with rune writing-"_

"_You're **still** going through with that plan!?" Porlyusica exclaimed. "In order for that to work, you would need **two** targets, you fool! Or have you forgotten?"_

"_I **haven't**!" Makarov snapped. "I'm not going to make Freed write the runes himself! I need him to tell me how to cast them as perfectly as possible!"_

"_Why do you need runes, master?" Freed asked._

"_A spell," Porlyusica answered. "Runes are needed to trap the person while a significant amount of power is needed to perform it. It could be used performed by two different people, but there would need to be two targets."_

"_And so I need you to explain how to create powerful enough runes to seal Koda in his spot with Magical Breakup," Makarov finished. Freed nodded._

"_I understand, master. It will be difficult to teach you in such a short amount of time, though."_

"_Without a second target, we don't have much choice."_

* * *

"Koda came shortly after that," Wendy finished. "And then I was sent here."

"Magical Breakup?" Levy repeated. "I think I've read about it somewhere… It's supposed to split apart a wizard and his magic."

"It's the ideal spell for the leader of Discord Palette," Charle said. "Considering the magic he's stolen are now lacrimas stored in his body." Erza and Lucy perked at this.

"The spell can remove lacrimas from someone's body?" Lucy questioned. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Because there might be a second target after all, if we can convince her," Erza said. "However, I understand that time is limited. If the master has a plan and needs Natsu, then we must track him down first."

"Master Makarov and Madilia-san said that Lucy-san could help with that," Wendy put in.

"Eh? Me?" Lucy blinked quizzically. "Why me?"

"One of your gate keys… Didn't you recently acquire a compass spirit?"

"Err… Yeah. Its name is Pyxis. But why-?"

"The helper Cyander has an ice-type magic called Northern Asterism," Charle replied. "The hypothesis is that by using your compass gate, you can tell which way Cyander is."

"What's asterism?" Erza asked.

"It's a pattern of unrelated stars," Lucy clarified. "I guess if the magic relates to stars I could help, but I don't see how I'm supposed to-"

"Madilia-san says that because of his magic, Cyander can be honed in easily with an otherworldly compass," Wendy piped up. "He's like an attracting magnet because of his ice magic relating to north stars."

"Really? That's so strange," Levy mumbled. Erza glanced at Lucy.

"Can you do it?"

"I can try." Lucy snatched up the named silver key from her holder, and held it out. "Open, Gate of the Compass! _Pyxis_!"

In a flash of starry light and a cloud of smoke, a creature popped out in front of them all. It was red bird-like creature, complete with wings and a beak. A compass rested atop its head. It chirped at its summon and hopped over to Lucy.

"Pyxis, do you think you can hone into a certain magic called Northern Asterism?" the blonde asked. Pyxis cocked its head to one side in question. "It turns the user's magic into something like a north star. Maybe you can do it." Pyxis scratched its head with one of its wings, clearly not sure about the idea.

"I don't think he can do it…" Levy said flatly.

"Levy-chan, have some faith!" Lucy cried. Turning back to Pyxis, she clenched her fists firmly. "Come on, Pyxis! Just try it! I believe in you!" Pyxis chirped at the encouragement, suddenly feeling determined to impress his master. It closed its eyes in concentration as the compass on its head started spinning. The girls waited for him to come to a finish.

Suddenly, the bird creature's body began to glow silver. It made an affirmative sound and spreads its wings excitedly as the light dispersed. "Did you find him, Pyxis?" Lucy asked. Pyxis cawed and pointed to its head. The compass's arrow was glowing a pale blue and pointing in the western direction. Lucy cheered. "Alright! I _knew_ you could do it!"

"Impressive," Erza said. "So that's the direction we should head in to find Natsu."

"It's our best guess. Let's go for it."

"Wait, you guys!" Lucy started. "You can take Pyxis with you, but I think I should head back to the guild."

"_What_!?" the rest of the group screeched.

"Lu-chan, what are you thinking!?" Levy cried. "You can't be serious!"

"You don't have to worry about me," the celestial wizard said. "My magic is Holder-type, so I'm safe; but that's not my worry. More people with useable magic against Koda will be better, and we're not sure how long they can fend him off."

"But what about Natsu-?"

"You guys can go rescue him." Lucy pointed to Pyxis. "Like I said… You can take him with you. It doesn't take as much magic to get Pyxis through the gate as other spirits, so I'll be fine. Erza needs to be there to fight with Cyander and you need to be there in order to decipher any barriers, Levy-chan."

"But… You can't go alone! And you'll never make it back to the guild on foot!"

"Charle can take her!" Wendy suggested. Charle's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wendy, I can't carry two people-!"

"Charle can take her, and I can stay with you guys!"

"_Wendy_-!"

"But Charle, I can't go back to the guild anyway!" Wendy protested. "I'm a Dragonslayer like Natsu-san! My magic can be taken from me! And… I don't have very good offensive power anyway! Lucy-san will be more help than I will!" Charle's frown contorted into a scowl.

"I am not leaving you anywhere," she said. "And that's final."

"Charle-!"

"Please, Charle?" Lucy interrupted. "I really need to get back to the guild! Not only do I want to help fight, but it's imperative that I speak with Master Makarov!"

"The master? Why?" Levy checked. Erza cocked an eyebrow.

"Lucy… Are you going to let the master know about-?"

"Yes, I am," Lucy cut her off definitively. "I don't know if Madilia-san will go along with the idea, but it's worth a shot."

"What does Madilia-san have to do with anything?" Wendy inquired.

"No time to explain. I need to get back to Fairy Tail, and you guys need to go free Natsu and get him back before Master Makarov can perform the Magical Breakup spell." Lucy looked back to the female cat again. "_Please_, Charle. I'm begging you. Even if I run all the way there, I won't make it back on time. I need you."

"I concur," Erza agreed. "Lucy holds information that could be most useful to the master. The sooner she gets there, the better." Charle folded her arms as if to protest. She didn't want to part with her best friend, but she knew she was on a losing side. If it was for the guild's best, she'd have to help.

"Fine," she grumbled. Charle activated her Aera spell and floated up. "Ready to go?" Lucy nodded. Charle wordlessly floated over to the back of her and picked her up by her shirt. As the two flew higher and further away, Lucy called out,

"Good luck you guys! And hurry!" Pyxis waved at its master, upset over being left behind. Wendy patted the spirit gently.

"Pyxis-san, we're counting on you," she said. Levy smiled.

"So let's go!"

Pyxis chirped and saluted to them with its wing.

* * *

In Magnolia, chaos reigned. The battle had moved outside the guild and was now taking part on both land and sea. Flames decorated the area and rose to the sky along with flying dirt and dust.

So far, Koda went untouched aside from some bruises he'd acquired from Makarov's punches. The guild master was holding him off with his Titan Magic-induced fists while they were in and above the water, trying to keep the Discord Palette leader at a standstill.

From a distance, multiple attacks were fired at Koda in hopes of aiding their master.

"_Blast Bullet_!"

"_Stinger Shot_!"

"_Sand Blast_!"

Bullets and sand flew towards Koda with deadly accuracy. Koda just smirked and held his arms up, chanting two spells at once.

"_Fairy Machine Gun_:_ Leprechaun_! _Ice Make_: _Shield_!"

A torrent of energy needles flew down, crashing into the Guns Magic bullets and creating a cloud of dust as they canceled each other out. At the same time, a familiar-looking ice shield erected in time to stop the incoming wave of sand. Koda laughed. "You think such puny attack power will conquer me!? How wrong you are!" He held his hands out at arm's length and shouted, "_Ice Make_: _Arrows_!"

A plethora of frozen arrows flew from Koda's hands to the ground there the offending mages stood. Alzack grimaced as he dodged the incoming attack.

"Damn it… He just repelled our attacks like they were nothing!"

"And with Evergreen's magic, no less," Bisca added beneath her breath, leaping to the side before an arrow could pierce her leg.

"Not only that, but my sand is useless against Gray's ice," Max snorted, flipping backwards.

"But this is far from over!" Gajeel yelled. He took in a breath and called out a well-known attack. "_Iron Dragon's Roar_!"

"How dare he use Gray-sama's ice magic like that!" Juvia yelled. "_Water Slicer_!"

"_Defensive Sheng Magic_: _Melting Autumn_! _Restraining Sheng Magic_: _Earth Dam_!"

Juvia's water became muddied and unusable. At the same time, Gajeel's roar dispersed and melted. The mud and liquid iron fell into the sea, now useless.

"Yes, yes! This is such fun!" Koda cackled. "More!"

"If you _insist_!" Out of nowhere, Gajeel flew up and punched the dark guild master across the face and in the gut with his Iron Dragon's Clubs. Koda sucked in wind as he fell to the sea. Before he could touch the water, Makarov swung his fist back and slammed it into his body. Koda bounced across the top of the water like a skipping rock before falling beneath the water's surface. Makarov brought his hand back down to normal size. Gajeel landed in the water beside him. "Nice punch, old man."

"Not too bad yourself," the Wizard Saint replied. "But that isn't enough to take this guy down."

"Didn't think it was." As he said this, Koda reemerged from the water, breathing heavily. The Dragonslayer snorted. "Tenacious bastard."

"Getting three hits on me in a row, I'm rather impressed," Koda said with a grin. "It won't happen again." Just as Gajeel had done, Koda sucked in his breath and roared. Instead of iron and metal, they were met with the sight of fire. Gajeel and Makarov leapt out of the way before it could hit them. The iron-eater growled.

"And now he's using Salamander's magic… Oi! Isn't there any way to stop him before he tears this place up even more!?"

"You know what the plan is, but right now isn't the time!" Makarov yelled. "Until Erza and the others can get Natsu back here, we need to buy our time carefully!"

"Easier said than done, old man!" Gajeel snarled as he dodged multiple incoming punches and kicks from Koda. "_Way_ easier!" Before Makarov could launch himself at Koda, a blast of light erupted from above.

"_Lion Brilliance_!"

Everyone in the area who didn't shield their eyes was instantly blinded. This excluded Makarov and included Koda. When the light dimmed, Makarov saw a black figure appear out of nowhere and slam into Koda. The blonde man flew some yards away, into the trees that surrounded the lake. The surprise figure chuckled.

"Hmph. Looks like you guys could use some help." As everyone got their vision back, they saw who came to help. Gajeel snorted.

"You're Bunny Girl's boy, right?" he said. "The lion key." Loke smiled.

"As much as I like being referred to as her boy, I'm sure my owner would have something to say about that. Now…" Loke's expression lost all amusement. "I highly doubt I'm going to get the chance to blind that man again, but that's the price I pay for sneak attacks. Makarov, I come with a message attached. Lucy needs to speak with you right away."

"Lucy?" Makarov's brows furrowed. "What could possibly be so important that she'd head back here?"

"She wouldn't tell me out of urgency, but you can find her in the guild building with the ones who aren't fighting. Mind you, I'd rather not rush you, but I think it's best if you head over there now. I've already delivered the same message to Freed." Makarov's attention was fully focused upon hearing that. If Freed was involved, it was likely that whatever Lucy had to say pertained to the Magical Breakup spell. While that stood…

"I can't leave everyone to battle this out on their own," he said sternly.

"That's why I'm here," Loke smirked. "I'll take over for a while. I'm not as strong as you, but that doesn't mean I'm weak."

"And we can hold down the fort a while longer," Juvia called from behind. "There is no need to fear!"

"Let us handle him by ourselves for a little bit!" Macao smirked, Purple Flare burning around his hands.

"… … …" Makarov grunted. "Very well. I'll be back." Makarov leapt out of the water hurriedly and made his way over to the Fairy Tail building. As soon as he did, Koda leapt up from the trees with his own fists fired up with flames.

"Who was it?" he growled. "Who had the audacity to sneak attack me like that!?" Loke waved nonchalantly.

"That would be me, the leader of the zodiac; but let's not waste time on introductions." The light of Regulus surrounded his hands. "I believe there's a battle to be fought."

* * *

"Tch. I can't believe that bastard is using our magic out there," Gray snarled. "And we're stuck in his half-destroyed building, unable to do anything."

"A real man wouldn't stay away from a fight!" Elfman bellowed. "Especially one that concerns his family!"

"Elfman, you know I'm not allowed to let you out," Mirajane said in her older sister voice.

"But-!"

"If you even attempt to leave this building, you know what I'll do." Seeing the flaring demonic aura around his angelic-looking sister instantly made Elfman back down.

"So that's why Mira-san is here…" Lucy laughed nervously. "I expected her to be fighting, but I guess it's better if you guys have some sort of protection in case things go south… And I guess you're here for obvious reasons, Madilia-san?"

"Hnn… As much as I'd like to see Koda put in his place, I myself am not built for fighting," the psychic replied. "But you already know this, as does Makarov Dreyar. He has instructed me to stay in here for my own protection, like the others were."

"Protection… This is so lame!" Gray snapped. "We should be out there kicking that guy's ass, not sitting here like weaklings and waiting for everything to blow over!"

"Suck it up," Freed muttered.

"Easy for you to say, you green-haired prick! You still _have_ your magic!"

"Gray, that's enough," Mirajane chided. "You know you can't go out there, not unless you have a death wish. Besides…" The Satan Soul user motioned to the cot where Evergreen was placed. "You have to watch her, as well. She hasn't even woken up yet, so she's in the most danger."

"Indeed, there's only so much I can do for her now," Porlyusica added monotonically. "I am a healer and I have no more tricks up my sleeve. All that's left is making sure the girl's body isn't damaged, and that is not a job for just one person." Freed nodded in agreement. Elfman and Gray grunted and shut up just in time for Makarov to come through one of the guild's damaged windows unannounced.

"Is everyone still doing alright in here?" he asked.

"Oh, master!" Mira chirped. "Yes, we're all fine!" Gray scoffed at this. Makarov hummed in thought.

"That's good. Now…" His attention swerved to their resident celestial wizard. "I heard from Loke that you needed to speak with me, Lucy?"

"I heard the same," Freed added quietly. Lucy nodded.

"And it's a good thing you did. I need to talk to you guys about your plan – The one that involves the Magical Breakup spell."

"What about it?" the Raijinshuu member asked.

"You said for it to be performed at its fullest, you'd need a second target, correct?"

"Which we do not have," Porlyusica snorted bitterly. Makarov ignored the comment.

"What are you thinking, Lucy?" he inquired curiously.

"I'm thinking… You guys might be able to go through with it like you originally planned."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"By following all of the requirements like you're supposed to. Because unbeknownst to you, there is a second target." Everyone's breathing hitched. Makarov's eyes were greedy for information.

"Are you serious, child? Who?"

"Pardon the interruption," Madilia spoke up. "But… I believe she is referring to me." Even Porlyusica had a hard time suppressing her surprise at the confirmation.

"_You're_ the second available target?" Freed all but yelled in shock. Elfman unintentionally gaped at her in the rudest way possible.

"But how is that supposed to work?" Mirajane asked. "The spell is said to remove lacrimas from one's body, so…"

"Madilia-san _does_ have a lacrima inside of her," Lucy explained. "She mentioned it to Erza and me not too long ago."

"I did indeed," the silver-haired woman verified. "Koda planted it in me years ago in order to sustain my healing and telepathic powers. It's what keeps my abilities intact. That is to say, I could do without its side effects…" Makarov observed the woman carefully from where he stood.

"And you would be willing to give up such powerful clairvoyance? Just like that?"

"I would be a liar if I said I wasn't hesitant," Madilia corrected. "However, that is not the main concern for me. Lucy Heartfilia, I applaud you for remembering such information and wanting to use it, but it might as well be a futile effort. I have tried numerous spells and had dozens of mages and healers attempt to remove it, and so far the success rate has been zero."

"But have any of them attempted the Magical Breakup spell on you?" Lucy checked, left brow raised skeptically.

"It is a spell that requires a massive energy output and expert knowledge of runes and how to write them. So, no."

"Then how do you know this won't work?"

"It is not that I think the spell will fail. It is that I do not trust it to work properly."

"It's still worth a shot, though. Right?"

"It is worth the chance of the spell failing and leaving your guild master drained of a good portion of his magic power?"

"Pah, don't worry about my power!" Makarov snorted. "Not an issue! I have loads more to spare!" Porlyusica inwardly scoffed at the Wizard Saint's overconfidence. Madilia eyed him warily. Mirajane put her hands together in petition.

"Please, Madilia-san," she implored. "Our guild is strong, but at the moment we're fighting a losing battle. Some of our strongest members have had their magic stolen and Koda is using their powers against us!"

"And the man is playing with us right now," Makarov growled. "He's testing everyone's abilities and waiting to see whose is worth taking. We're not going to last long after he starts sucking up people's magic again."

"And we need ours back," Gray added. "I vote go for it."

"A man is not a man if he cannot battle!" Elfman boomed.

"I also do not want to see my guild members suffer defeat or go through death," Freed agreed. "My vote is cast."

Madilia regarded them coolly for a minute. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and sighed exasperatedly. "I will… consider it, for the time being… You will have my answer before the other girls fetch Natsu Dragneel and bring him back. While I ponder that, though, I suggest you all think of a way to trap Koda within a barrier of runes and still leave an opening for me to get through."

"Err… That's actually a good point…" Mirajane bit her lip. "How would we get Madilia-san out there and into the rune barrier without Koda noticing there's an opening somewhere?"

"Seems like a pretty risky situation…" Gray muttered.

"Not a problem, you guys," Lucy chuckled evilly. "You see, I have something very sneaky in mind…"

* * *

"You mean Natsu's here?"

Erza, Wendy, and Levy stared up at the large mountainous rock formation before them in awe. Pyxis chirped and jumped up and down. Charle tilted her head.

"Do you suppose this is hollowed out?" she mumbled. "It would make sense, would it not?"

"Let's find out." Erza requipped into her Giant's Armor faster than one could blink, and heaved a punch at the rock wall. It disintegrated into nothing more than a pile of rubble and dirt. Everyone else coughed at the dust that was flying around as a result of the hit.

"E-Erza-san-!"

"Please be careful!"

"And warn us next time you're going to do that!"

"Shut up and look." The three did.

Where the wall once stood, there was a large opening that lead into an empty cavern. It was dark with little light, aside from whatever daylight was entering from the outside. Wendy and Levy gasped.

"It is hollow!" the Solid Script mage cried. "Wow!" Erza gazed down at Pyxis.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Pyxis chirped in anticipation, pointing its wing forward. When it finished, a veil of starry light enveloped the bird creature and it disappeared.

"W-What happened to it?" Wendy asked.

"It probably got scared and went home," Charle ridiculed. "Cowardly spirit."

"It might have the right idea…" Levy muttered. "We're not even _in_ the tunnel yet and I'm getting a chill."

"I agree…" Wendy murmured. Erza folded her arms.

"It's just the wind," the redhead reassured her. "I feel nothing out of the ordinary." The bluenettes laughed nervously. Wendy twiddled her thumbs. _Erza-san is scary…_

"Can we get this over with?" Charle prodded impatiently. "The more time we spend dawdling here, the less of the guild we'll have to go back to!"

"I concur," Erza replied. "Levy, care to give us some light to go by?"

"Uhh, right!" Levy held her arm out and let her magic energy flow. "_Solid Script: Candle_!" The incantation hung in the air, letter-for-letter. It was made of off-white wax and burned all around the edges, creating a soft glow to light their way. Levy exhaled silently. "Will this do, Erza?"

"Perfect. Now, let's head in."

* * *

The complete and utter darkness inside of the cave made Levy feel very uncomfortable. The air was thick with tension and nobody was saying a word. It almost made her feel like she'd casted her Silence spell. The quietness was almost loud, nobody daring to break it in fear of being discovered.

The heavy evil aura in the air was also a way to shut everyone up. Even the inexperienced Sky Dragonslayer Wendy felt it, as indicated by her shivering shoulders and pained expression. Erza seemed fine, but that wasn't anything new. She always seemed immune to the worst of auras unless she was sincerely trying to sense them.

The Candle spell was still burning, but the wax was starting to give way. The letters melted onto their path as they walked, leaving behind a trail of solidifying goo in the creeping darkness. Levy wondered if she'd have to cast the spell again soon to keep up the light.

She got her answer when Erza halted in her path and commanded the others to do the same. Charle was concerned that they were being attacked and nobody else had noticed, but the Titania quickly proved her wrong when she kicked down the left-hand wall. At this point the rest of the group had given up and reminding Erza about the definition of subtlety and just went along with her destruction.

The girls jumped through the makeshift entrance and into the next hollow area of the cave. This cavern was nothing like the tunnel they'd been journeying through. For one, the ceiling was high – Higher than the guild's, even. The walls were adorned with lit torches and in the center of the room there was a large, black sphere floating above the runes on the floor.

To the right side, two figures were lying against the wall. The colors red and white hair colors bounced off of them and in the dim lighting it was nearly impossible to make out any other features.

"Is that… Are those…?" Levy gasped. "Ervana-san! Cobalt-san!" When Levy attempted to run over to help the unconscious twosome, Erza immediately pulled her back. The bluenette yelped. "Eek! Erza, why are you holding me back like this-!?"

"One: The mission was a trap, remember? Those probably aren't even the people you spoke to. Two: watch closely."

A black whip launched out of the sphere, nearly chopping Levy's head off in the process. The girl shrieked at the proximity and clung to Erza for two seconds before she realized whom she was hugging.

"That's why," Erza said calmly as Levy pried herself off of the older girl. "That thing is made up of shadows."

"Shadows…?" Wendy echoed nervously.

"Correct. This is a Dusk Cage." Erza's brown eyes moved around the room slowly, allowing her to take in her surroundings more clearly. They narrowed as she noticed the brightness of the torches. "The Dusk Cage is used as a method of imprisonment. It is used to contain powerful mages, so only powerful mages can cast it. If I'm right, then that's where Natsu is."

"Natsu is… in _there_?" Levy pointed to the sphere weakly. "How are we supposed to get him _out_?"

"Not by charging, obviously." Levy flinched in embarrassment. "The Dusk Cage will lash out at whomever gets close to it as a means of self-defense. It's a way of protecting its prey."

"Its prey being the Fire Dragonslayer," Charle said.

"Precisely." Erza gestured to the lighting all around. "Also... In the short time since we've entered this cavern, I've noticed something off about the torches. They weren't very brilliant when we came in, but the flames have slowly been getting brighter and brighter. I surmise that they're some type of guard dog device – Something to keep an eye on Natsu for any surprises within the Dusk Cage. And if my hunch is right, then that means a certain someone will be nearby, standing guard."

"Correct, Titania!" a cold voice cried gleefully.

The Fairy Tail females looked upwards and saw a man with an outrageously blue hair sitting on a stone that jutted out from the wall. Erza recognized him instantly.

"Cyander…" she growled. Cyander clapped sarcastically.

"I'm impressed with your deduction, Titania. You're right in that the torches are connected to the fire mage. The brighter they are, the more of his power has returned. Koda has given me orders to paralyze him as soon as he's back at fifty percent." The man cocked his head to one side, staring at the torch below him. "Though by the light, I'd say he's hardly at ten percent now… Just enough for his body temperature to be returning to normal."

"Release him, psychopath," Erza demanded sternly. "Or suffer the consequences."

"Release him? Oh, no, no, no, no. I'm afraid I can't do that." Cyander leapt down from his perch gracefully, landing on his feet with little to no noise made. "And I mean it. I really can't do that. Koda is the one who made the Dusk Cage, not I."

"But you're the one sustaining it, are you not?"

"Ah, another clever deduction. That's two in a row!" Cyander laughed. "Yes, yes I am the one sustaining it. How did you know?"

"The symbols written on the floor," Erza replied tartly. "It's easy to tell that the magic used to make them and the magic used to forge the Dusk Cage are completely different from each other."

"Hmm, I suppose that was rather obvious, then."

"Let me guess…" Charle hummed deeply. "To erase the spell on the floor, you have to be defeated in battle?"

"Wise words for a mere cat; but yes." Cyander shrugged. "Not that I'm particularly worried. Titania here failed to defeat me once before. I'm sure nothing has changed since then."

"Care to wager?" Erza snapped. "I'm up for a battle if you are." Cyander's eyes widened.

"You _are_? Huh. I must give you credit for your tenacity and willpower. I honestly didn't expect you to want to get your rear kicked into submission again." The blue-haired man grinned widely. "Nevertheless, I am not one to turn down a challenge. Even without Koda to deal the final blow to your body, I've proven myself to be more than enough for you, Erza Scarlett."

"True, you have. However…" Erza summoned her spear and took on a fighting stance. "I'm a rather sore loser." Cyander cackled loudly.

"Hahaha! Well, well! Then let's not just stand here and make merry with conversation!" He held his palm out tauntingly. "Come at me, Titania! Let's see how well you fare this time around!" The Requip mage kept her expression cooled and her words snappish.

"Trust me, Cyander. I never lose to the same opponent twice."

* * *

Alright, so nobody's actually sure when Lucy got Pyxis's key timeline-wise, but I've always had it in my head that she got it some time before Edolas and never actually had a chance to use him. If anybody has words to say about that, blame Mashima for not giving us a time frame.

And now that this ABSOLUTE PAIN IN THE ASS TRANSITIONARY CHAPTER IS OUT OF THE WAY, I can get on with the parts I really want to write. Which means a faster update. Sweet.

Final note: **The poll for which story I should write after this one is still up on my profile.** Check it out and vote, please!


	23. Life and Death

This is going down as one of my favorite chapters in the entirety of this story. Heeeeee!

Most of the author's notes this time around are at the bottom. I'd read them. They're important.

* * *

**_Chapter 23 - Life and Death_**

* * *

"_Irien… Are you alright?"_

Natsu's eyes opened in surprise. He knew that voice. He'd only heard it once before, but it was easily recognizeable.

"_Please don't be dead…"_

The Dragonslayer picked himself up from his spot on the floor and looked around. He was still alone.

"Where are you?" he called. "I can't see you!"

"_I didn't expect you could…"_ the female voice chuckled. _"But I'm glad to see you're alright, my dear Irien… I don't know what I'd have done with myself if you weren't."_ Natsu's eyes narrowed.

"That _isn't_ my name," he snapped. "And I'm _not_ your '_dear'_. You have **_no_ **right to call me that. Especially after leading me and my friends into a trap."

"_If I could explain it better, I would…" _Natsu could sense the frown on Ervana's face, even if she was physically out of sight. _"But tricking your friends was not my decision, nor was it Cobalt-san's."_

"Right. Because there's so much evidence to support that," the fire-eater muttered bitterly.

"_Irien… Is there no way you can-?"_

"Stop _calling_ me that!" Natsu demanded.

"_But that is your name…"_

"My _name_ is _Natsu_! I'm Natsu Dragneel, son of the most powerful dragon in the world, and a Fairy Tail wizard! Get that through your head!" He could feel his body temperature rising again with his words, more than likely due to anger. There was a brief leap for joy in his mind at his magic beginning to return, but the situation at hand did its best to crush the small bit of happiness. "Why are you even talking to me!? You make fools out of my friends, lead me to believe I have human parents, and you expect everything to be alright!?"

"_Irien-"_

"_Natsu_!"

"_You will always be Irien to me," _Ervana insisted. _"So that is what I will call you by."_

"What the hell is _**that**_ supposed to mean?" Natsu folded his arms. "I'm not your son! Stop talking like I am!" There was a pause between them. A light sigh was heard.

"_You really can't remember, can you…?"_

"What's there to remember?" Natsu snorted. "We aren't related."

"_Well… That much is true, but…"_

"Look, what's going on?" Natsu cut her off impatiently. "How are you even talking with me when I'm trapped in here?"

"_I am a spirit, you know. I am not confined to that makeshift body, especially when I am technically unconscious."_

"… Oh, right." The rosette's temper depleted slightly. "I forgot you were dead… But that makes this even more confusing! I don't understand what's going on!"

"_Irien, calm down… Calm down and look."_

In front of him, Natsu could see the shadows of the Dusk Cage dispersing as they had before when he spoke with Koda and Cyander. The ball of nerves floating around in his body tightened.

Erza was in the middle of a heated battle with the blue-haired assistant. Her Black Wing Armor was active and a pair of short-swords was acting as her chosen offense. The weapons were busy tearing up the icy stalagmites Cyander had created around the cavern. Every time another frozen pillar was destroyed, the ice shards stayed hovering in the air like hundreds of stars; and the more Erza destroyed them, the more were created. It didn't help that each shard was deathly sharp, tearing into the parts of her body that were exposed – Nor was is good that Levy, Wendy, and Charle were just inches away from the field of floating ice.

"Erza!" Natsu's hands pressed against the window to the outside world, palms turning cold from the contact. His teeth clenched. "Stop destroying those things! They're just gonna hurt you and the others! _Oi_!"

"_She can't hear you, Irien…"_ Ervana said. _"Nobody can, when you're trapped in here."_

"_Damn_ it!" Natsu punched the wall again. "This isn't fair! I should be out there fighting that asshole, not her!" But then again… He didn't even have enough magic back to control his body temperature. It seemed to inconsistently rise and flare with his emotions, and it wasn't much of a flare anyway.

"_Your friend is fighting for you…"_ Ervana noted. _"They are all fighting… The guild you've joined, it's a wonderful one."_

"I know," Natsu grunted. "And I should be out there helping them."

"_I wish I knew of a way to get you out of here, Irien… But my knowledge of magic is very, very limited…"_

"It's fine. I'll find a way to get out of here myself."

"_How?"_

"I don't know; but I _will_."

* * *

"_Northern Asterism: Great Diamond_!"

A countless number of five-pointed ice crystals showered down from above. Erza rapidly kept up with them, destroying the ones aimed directly at her with the mastered speed and accuracy of her swords. When a clearing emerged, she flew towards where Cyander was floating on a piece of ice near the ceiling.

"_Moon Flash_!"

Erza swung her blade in a cross pattern, rushing past the male bluenette with impressive speed. Cyander feinted to the side at the last minute, just barely missing having his arms chopped off. He was surprised to see his shirt ripped at a forty-five degree angle when he regained his balance.

"Cut from just the air pressure alone… You continue to surprise me with the power you wield!" he laughed. A cloud of cold air hovered around his body. "_Sectional Asterism: Club of Hercules_!" Icy pillars dislodged and shot out from Cyander's arms much in the same manner as Gajeel's iron clubs. To Erza they were easy to dodge and or slice, as they were much larger and therefore much slower than the previous attack. The falling pieces were a danger to the audience below, however.

"E-Erza-saaaan!" Wendy cried as Charle helped her dodge the falling ice debris. "Please remember that we're still down here!"

"No kidding!" Levy groaned.

"I apologize!" Erza shouted. "It's not my intention to get you three involved in this battle! Try to remove yourselves from harm's way!"

"She makes that sound easy…" Levy grumbled. "_Solid Script: Diamond_!" Large, thick-font text appeared above the female observers. The crystalline spell acted as an instant barrier for them. As soon as the falling ice hit, it shattered into pieces and was strewn around them where the text hadn't blocked. Wendy smiled.

"That's a really handy spell!" she cried as Charle lowered her to the ground. Levy grinned.

"Diamond is the hardest substance in the world, after all! Anything that comes in contact with it breaks in an instant, so it makes a great shield! Unfortunately…" The refracting text crumbled and disappeared from its spot in the air. Levy sighed despondently. "Diamond is one of my most powerful spells, so it takes a lot to perform and doesn't last very long…"

"I-I see… At least it protected us that one time, though!"

"I just hope we won't need it again…" As soon as she said that, Levy leapt out of the way with a shriek to dodge another falling piece of ice. "And I really hope I didn't just jinx myself! Erza, please be careful! There aren't many places we can move to without being cut by the remnants of Cyander's Camelopardalis spell!"

"I offer my apologies again!" Erza replied from above, blocking an incoming blast of cold wind with her blades.

"Stop apologizing and put your all into this, Titania!" Cyander snapped. "_Sectional Asterism: Orion's Belt_!" Beaded strands of glowing ice formed around Erza's body, gluing her arms to her sides. Erza visibly winced. The strands were freezing cold, burning whatever part of her body was exposed to them. Her armor was suffering cracks and was slowly succumbing to the temperature change.

"I… remember this spell…" she grunted.

"You do? Good." Cyander smiled. "It's the spell I used to bind you the last time we met. If you recall, it was this spell that allowed me to carve that fake eye out of your skull while you watched and felt helpless."

"And even then you couldn't land a final blow on me!" Erza snarled at him. "Your boss was the one to successfully knock me out!" Cyander growled.

"_Hush_." The frozen binds tightened around Erza, pressing harder into her skin. The redhead bit her lip to keep herself from crying out. The subzero temperatures burned her, and worse than Natsu's flames ever could. At least with fire she could use her Flame Empress Armor to reduce the damage done; but if she requipped into that here and now to counter the ice, the weight would surely bring her crashing to the ground. With a grimace, she realized that it didn't really matter.

Her Black Wing Armor was at its breaking point. Unable to take anymore of the cold, it splintered and blew apart. This successfully rid her of the Orion's Belt Asterism spell, but it also meant she was no longer supported in the air. Wendy and Levy both screeched at seeing their friend fall.

"Erza-san! Charle, catch her!" Wendy pleaded. Charle was all ready to fly up for a rescue, but a bright red light blinded her into stopping. When it dimmed, the three girls could clearly see that Erza had requipped into her cheetah-styled Flight Armor. Her short-swords were at hand and digging into the sides of the cavern, keeping her from falling to the ground.

"Thank goodness…" Levy sighed. Her legs were still shaking from the scare, but she was relieved that the S-Class mage hadn't been harmed by her shortened descent.

"Erza-san really needs to rest…" Wendy whimpered. "Those burns look really bad…!"

"Can't you heal them, Wendy?"

"Not from here! I need to have direct contact with Erza-san for my magic to work!"

"Well, that isn't good."

Erza disregarded their worried chatter and flung herself upward. Thanks to her enhanced speed, she was able to propel herself into Cyander and crushed his jaw with an uppercut. His head bent backwards from the blow, allowing for a clear shot of his neck. Erza struck him there with the side of her open hand, and then kicked him off of his icy platform. Cyander flew into the nearest wall unmercifully. The rock wall exploded from the impact. Rubble and dust fell slowly, and when it cleared one could see the deep hole that had been made. Erza eyed it cautiously from the floating iced platform, waiting for Cyander to recover from the simultaneous blows.

A loud _crack_ sounded from underneath her. Erza glanced down and saw the ice beginning to fall apart. Cursing, she jumped off and back to where her swords were embedded in rock. Not two seconds after she balanced herself on the blades, the platform exploded. Cyander wobbled out of his hole, breathing heavily.

"I must admit, Titania…" he growled. "You're putting up much more of a fight this time around."

"You no longer have the element of surprise on your side," Erza said flatly. "I have seen your abilities before. I know what you're capable of. And I'm not sorry to say, without catching me by surprise, you have no hope of beating me."

"Don't I!?" Cyander's hands began to emit a pale blue light. "_Northern Asterism: False Cross of Vela_!"

Sheets and pillars of ice grew out of the sides of the cavern, rearranging the very structure of the domain. The movement shook the area as an earthquake would. Levy and Wendy shrieked again when they saw more debris falling their way. As much as Erza would've liked to tell them to get to safety, she knew there wasn't anywhere else to move to. Instead she stayed where she was, watching as the top half of the cavern – Her and Cyander included – Became shrouded in a maze of ice.

Erza climbed down off her swords, onto the nearest horizontal pillar she could touch. She ripped her swords from the wall with a heave and glanced around. It had gotten eerily quiet ever since the ice stopped moving. That told her two things. One, Cyander was waiting for her to make the first move; two, he thought this gave him an advantage. She'd be lying if she said the terrain didn't have part in a battle, but it would also be a lie to say she wasn't adaptable.

Erza quietly wandered through the ice, climbing over pillars when she needed to. It was strange to see her image everywhere she looked, and vaguely unsettling. One particular sheet of ice was cracked down its center, making it seem as though a good part of her face was missing. It split her down the middle and to the side.

A chuckle sounded from behind her. On the ice, Erza saw Cyander coming up from behind her. She turned around to confront him, brandishing her swords defensively, but saw no one. The male bluenette's laughter continued. The Requip mage looked back to the ice and saw Cyander still there, mocking her.

"_I'm not there, Titania…"_

Erza took one of her swords and cleanly slashed through the ice. The image shattered instantly. Still, the chuckling did not stop.

"_Behind you…"_

Ice shards flew past her face with intense speed, scraping her cheeks with disturbing grace. Erza deflected the rest of them with her swords, and turned around to finally face her blue-haired opponent. She faltered when she saw not one Cyander reflected in the ice, but _two_.

"_Over here, Titania!"_ one of them called, waving at her mockingly.

"_No, over here!"_ the other followed.

"_Wrong, I'm this way!"_ a third yelled.

One by one, Erza irritably crushed the ice where the three of them appeared to be. As soon as the pillars and sheets were destroyed, so were the images of the ice-user. She snarled in frustration. "I've had it with these illusions! Show your face, coward!"

"As you _wish_!"

A strong kick nailed Erza in the back, sending her crashing through numerous pillars of ice. The ice dust clouded her vision almost entirely. When she was trying to stand again, her head jerked to the side from an incoming punch and crashed through a nearby sheet.

"_Like what you see, Titania…?"_

The sight was anything but good. All in all, there were about six copies of Cyander all around her. Some were solid reflections in the ice, some were three-dimensional. Erza coughed violently, trying not to inhale any of the stray ice shards. "You… _You_… _What_ are you…?"

"Winter Hexagon," Cyander started with a smile. "Solid copies of myself that can travel through ice."

One of the copies sprung forward with the intent of kicking her in the face. Erza flipped herself over using her swords to dodge the blow, but was quickly snared by two other copies. Each held one of her arms in a firm grasp. The redhead noticed Cyander coming for her with his fist drawn back out of the corner of her eye. She bent her knees and jumped up to avoid the blow. Instead of her, Cyander hit one of his copies. It quickly receded back into the ice. When she thought it was remotely safe to land, one of the copies burst out of the ice below her and punched her in the chest. Erza skidded across the pillar, digging her swords into the ice so she wouldn't fall off. She was getting very sick and tired of Cyander's ice tricks. She had to end this, and had to end this soon.

Erza stood up slowly, trying to keep her heavy breathing to a minimum. "I have solid footing… I have more magic energy to spare… And I'm _through_ dealing with this."

* * *

Natsu wasn't sure what was happening. He wasn't sure if it was because his magic was coming back or not, but the shadowy cage around him seemed to be weaker than before. Even the walls seemed less dark that they had been a few minutes ago. Was it a trick of his eyes?

No, no it wasn't. Through the space Ervana had opened up, Natsu could clearly see that the battle between Erza and Cyander was raging on; and if the cage was weakening, there was a good chance that Cyander was getting too tired to keep this prison up at full power. The Dragonslayer smirked.

"Guess I'll be getting out of here faster than- Eh?"

Natsu's eyes squinted as he peered more closely at the space. Was this another trick of his imagination, or was the opening in the Dusk Cage getting smaller?

"Oi, what's going on here? Why can't I see out of that thing clearly anymore?" Silence. Natsu blinked. "Err… Lady…? Are you…?"

"_I… sorry…"_ Ervana's voice sounded strained. _"It is Cyander's magic keeping us here… And… with him losing power… I am not long for this world…"_

"Wait, you're leaving?" Natsu's eyes widened. "Just like that?"

"_I cannot keep communicating with you… With the caster losing power… I am as well…"_ The space in the cage was just about gone by this point. _"Irien… I'm glad I could speak with you again… Even if you don't remember…"_

"W-Wait a minute!" Natsu yelled. "Hang on! What are you talking about!? What don't I remember!? Hey! Don't disappear yet-!"

His voice reached no one. The opening had disappeared completely and Ervana's voice was gone. He was left alone in the darkness and silence the Dusk Cage had to offer.

A plethora of colorful curse words resonated throughout the shadow prison. Natsu kicked and punched the nearest wall violently. "_I don't fucking believe this_! That guy can't be _that_ beat up, can he!? Erza! Erza, _stop_ it! I need him to be _conscious_ when I get out! _Erza_!" The rosette's chest heaved visibly from being out of breath. The screaming was futile. His voice couldn't reach the outside. He couldn't talk with anyone while he was still in here. His onyx eyes burned with his inner fire. "_Damn_ it! Damn that Koda guy, damn that frosty asshole, and _damn this __**cage**_!" With another angry yell, Natsu's fist met with the solid shadows one more time. This punch, however, was met with light.

Natsu's rage stopped temporarily. That definitely hadn't been his imagination. No, he felt it. He'd felt the warmth that came from that very brief flash. The Dragonslayer's scowl flipped upside down.

He turned his hand upwards and spread his palm out. With heavy concentration, he summoned what magic he had left through his arms. At first, nothing happened. No heat, no light. Natsu tensed in concentration. "Come on… I can do this! _I_. _Am_. _Not_. _**Weak**_! Light the fire, already, you _**moron**_!"

Berating himself seemed to work, for as soon as he stopped speaking again, his right hand burst into flames. Natsu relaxed himself at the sight, laughing loudly in relief.

"Yes… I _knew_ I still had something in me…" Clenching his fiery fist, he looked around the Dusk Cage in glee. "Now, let's see how long it takes me to utterly _destroy_ this thing."

* * *

"What's wrong, Titania?" Cyander baited the female mage. "Feeling tired and angry?" Erza grinned back at him.

"No. But I am going to have to cut this short. _Requip_!"

The flash of red light appeared again, illuminating the cave through the refraction of the ice. Levy, Wendy, and Charle stared at the bright maze in surprise.

"Is Erza-san… is she changing her armor again?" Wendy asked.

"I think she is," Charle murmured her response.

The light dimmed and everything was dark again for some seconds. Then, almost instantly, a spherical ball of red formed and burst through. The maze blew apart, scattering ice and rock everywhere. Before the grounded trio could begin yelling again, fire spread and melted the frozen pieces in the air. They didn't end up crushed under three tons of icy shrapnel, but the falling water brought on a different type of discomfort.

"Augh… My clothes are thoroughly _soaked_…" Levy moaned,

"My hair feels so heavy!" Wendy whined, trying to squeeze some of the moisture out of her navy locks.

"This is _very_ inconvenient…" Charle grimaced. "And uncomfortable, to boot…" She wasn't used to her fur being wet outside of bath time; and even then she wasn't wearing her clothing.

A painful yelp resounded throughout the cavern. Their dampness temporarily forgotten, the three Fairy Tail females returned their attention to the battle at hand; or, rather, what was left of the battle.

The ice maze was decimated, the walls were ruined, and Erza was donning her Flame Empress Armor. In one hand was her Flame Sword; in the other, she held Cyander up by his shirt collar. His clothes were in shreds and his skin was darkened from Erza's flames, with some severe burns to match the ones he'd given her with his ice. The ice mage groaned loudly.

"You… You have fire magic that _powerful_…?" His voice was strained and it was easy to tell that speaking was difficult for him. "I thought… I thought you were merely…"

"You cannot possibly know just what armor I have in my arsenal," Erza scoffed.

"And you knew… that I would end up like this…?"

"This damaged?" Erza shook her head. "No. However, I remembered something a certain feline told us earlier…" Charle's ears perked up. "She mentioned that your body's magical composition had been altered due to your magic – That you were like a magnet because it relates to northern stars. A thought occurred to me as a recalled that: If your body had been changed to take on properties of your magic, then maybe it wasn't just your magnetic pull that related. Whether it's based on stars or not, you're still an _ice_ user. I thought perhaps there was a chance that you had taken on the properties of ice as well as the northern stars due to that. To be honest, I didn't expect to be right… But then again, there's no other reason for you to be this damaged and injured from the artificial flames of a mage that isn't a born fire user." A small smirk crossed Erza's lips. "Your body took on the frozen composition, didn't it? Even more than a normal ice mage, it seems. You're super susceptible to fire-type magic because your body is essentially a walking cage of ice." Cyander laughed dryly.

"Very observant, Titania… Very… indeed… Not bad… for a wingless fairy…"

"Hmph. I told you, Cyander. I _never_ lose to the same opponent twice." Any more banter between the two was lost when Wendy and Levy shrieked.

"Wh-What's going on!?"

"Erza! The Dusk Cage!"

The Requip mage's attention hurried downwards. The Dusk Cage was disintegrating right before their very eyes, from the top downwards. When it got to nearly halfway, there was a blinding burst of light and flame. The remaining lit torches flared upwards. Levy shielded her eyes.

"The flames…! They're… _Look_!"

The shadows of the Dusk Cage were mercilessly torn apart from the inside by a white-hot supernova. The shreds of the prison mingled with the flames for a bit before disappearing into the heat. When the fire began to die down, the onlookers could make out the shape of their pink-haired guild mate.

"_Natsu-san_!"

The flames cleared completely with Wendy's yell. Natsu's legs gave out from fatigue quickly. He didn't even protest falling to the ground. Wendy immediately ran over to the older Dragonslayer and began inspecting him. "Natsu-san! Natsu-san, are you okay?" Natsu chuckled dryly.

"Heh… Don't worry, Wendy…" He smiled. "I'm not at full power yet, so whatever I just did took a lot outta' me…" Levy sighed.

"What a relief…"

"Indeed," Erza agreed as she landed on the ground. "I'm happy that you're safe, Natsu."

"Tch…" Cyander snorted. "Koda isn't gonna be happy with me… Thanks…" Erza glared at him.

"You have lost your right to speak." The Requip wizard pulled her arm back, and smashed her fist into Cyander's face.

Natsu was on his feet almost instantly at that. "Erza, stop! Leave him be!" The other Fairy Tail members eyed the rosette strangely.

"But-? Why-? _Huh_?" Levy's brows furrowed at the center of her forehead. "What are you…?"

"Natsu-san…?"

"Natsu, what's going o-?" A clear, white glow began to shine from behind the group, stopping all conversation. Everyone's heads turned to see it simultaneously, curious as to what it was.

Five pairs of eyes grew in size when they saw that Cobalt and Ervana's bodies were the source. The starry light dimmed and brightened sequentially, giving them a ghostly appearance. Natsu began panicking.

"_NO_!" The fire breather nearly tripped over his own sandals trying to get to the other side of the room. He skidded on his knees once he was close, stopping right near the two adults. Natsu shook Ervana's shoulder violently. "Hey, lady! Ervana! Get up! Come on, you can't leave me hanging like that! It ain't right!"

Ervana's eyes fluttered open tiredly. She moved her head to face Natsu, giving the fire mage a small smile. "Irien… It seems I can give you a proper good-bye after all, no?"

"You're not going anywhere yet!" Natsu insisted, hoisting Ervana into his arms. "You still haven't told me what you meant back there! What is it that I can't remember!? Why are you still calling me Irien even though you aren't my mother!? What's going on!?" Ervana didn't seem the slightest bit put off by his piercing yells.

"It's because I _know_ you…" she replied calmly. "I've known you since you were very small…" Natsu's eyes widened.

"But _how_!?" he repeated. "_How_ do you know me!?"

"Irien… You grew up with us." Ervana laughed lightly. "You were always a troublemaker as a child… Even now you seem to have a bit of a destructive streak…" Natsu turned a pale pink at this. "But you also seem to be an exceptional mage… And for that…" Ervana squirmed in Natsu's arms until she was upright. When the Dragonslayer tried to ask what she was doing, she responded by giving him a tight hug. "And for that, Irien… That you turned into such a wonderful young man… I will be eternally grateful."

"W-Wait a minute…" Natsu murmured. A large hand touched the top of his head and ruffled his pink spikes. Natsu looked up and saw Cobalt standing there, grinning madly.

"You're alright, kid," he said. "Bit of a weirdo, but that ain't a bad thing." Natsu swatted his tanned appendage away.

"I'm not a weirdo. Lucy is." Heaving a silent sigh, he continued. "Can't you tell me more? Please? You guys are giving me more questions than answer and it's getting really annoying." The glows around Ervana and Cobalt's bodies grew even more intense.

"_Heh… You're an alright kid… Bit loud, but…"_

"_Irien… We both wish you a fulfilling life… Stay safe…"_

"Wait-! No!" Natsu yelled as their spirits ascended into the air. "Stop! I'm not done talking with you!"

_Be happy…_

The white lights faded, and the souls were gone. In their place, two full skeletons-worth of bones fell to the ground in a cluttered pile.

Natsu stared at the pile in dejected shock. A few moments ago, he'd been so close to getting some information about his life. He'd been seconds away from learning where he was from. Now, all he was left with was the remains of the only two people whom he shared even the smallest of connections with.

Their _bones_. Just the thought of it made him sick to his stomach.

"Natsu, I…"

"Ahahahaha…" Levy's start was finished by Cyander's cold laughter. "They were starting to get a bit annoying, weren't they…? Shutting them up was the best move after all… _Hahahaha_-!" A second later, the psychotic ice mage found himself flying into the wall again – Courtesy of one enraged, fire-toting, pink-haired slayer.

"_**Bastard**_!" Natsu cursed. Fire surrounded his feet and arms, rising with his anger. "You couldn't have waited another minute!? You had to kill them _right then and there_!? _You're **through**_!"

"Natsu!" Erza grabbed Natsu's upper arm and gripped it tightly. "You have to calm down! Those two were already dead to begin with! There's nothing you could've done!"

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean _this_ guy had to be a complete _**dick**_ and take their lives from them again _at that very moment_!" Natsu snarled and shook himself free of Erza, rushing over to Wendy before the small girl could blink. "Wendy! You can bring people back from the dead, right!? _Heal _them!"

"Let go of her!" Charle snapped.

"N-N-Natsu-san, I can't!" Wendy cried.

"Why _**not**_!? You healed _Jellal_, didn't you-!?"

"I can't bring people back if they don't have their bodies! They need to be whole for my healing magic to work! With just bones, I can't-!"

"I don't _care_! _Try_!"

"Natsu, get a _hold_ on yourself!" Levy shouted. "You're scaring Wendy!"

"If you don't step away from her and calm down _**this**__ instant_, you'll be facing the eleven depths of Hell for the next _week_," Erza warned him in a demonic tone.

The threat seemed to snap Natsu back to his senses. Hesitantly, he separated his hands from Wendy's shoulders and stepped back. Charle immediately flew back over to her friend's side.

"Wendy, are you alright!?"

"I-I'm fine, Charle… Nothing to worry about…"

"I disagree," Erza said. "We have to worry about the guild, don't we?"

"Ah, shoot! We have to get back to Fairy Tail, you guys!" Levy exclaimed worriedly. "If we don't hurry, we might not be able to stop Koda from taking other people's magic!"

"_Koda_…" Natsu growled out the name. "That's the dark guild master, right?"

"Yes…? Why do you ask?" Natsu cracked his knuckles.

"Just making sure I know who my next target is."

* * *

Sooo, yes. Cyander's magic was rather complicated to think about. (As I was trying to remember the things I learned in astronomy last year.) If you're curious as to what everything meant, Google 'asterism' and click on the Wikipedia link.

I was listening to a piece called _The Bond of Sacrifice_ from a show called _Merlin_ while writing that scene with Natsu, Ervana, and Cobalt. It's... spectacular. And what I envisioned any BGM sounding like for that.

A picture of Erza in that ice maze is up on my deviantART. The link will be posted to my profile, but just in case it doesn't show up... My dA name is the same as this one.

In other news, now the fire-breathing maniac with an absurd level of friendship and morals is thoroughly pissed off. *grabs popcorn*


	24. Harmonic Conjunction

Shut up. I know I'm two days later with this than I said I'd be. But I'd forgotten that most of my classes this year are electives and that our midterms are earlier than the actual set dates. Thank god for the snow day today. I got most of this done just now.

Oh yeah. After this, there's only one more legitimate chapter. *sniff* I'M ALMOST DONE! And because of that...

There's a new poll on my profile. Choose between _Pledged_ and _Pyrophobia_, the two most voted ideas that I should work on next. The one with the most votes is the one I'll be taking a stab at.

Without further ado... Here we go!

* * *

_**Chapter 24 - Harmonic Conjunction**_

* * *

"_Water Cyclone_!"

"_Baryon Formation_!"

Makarov watched his children's attacks with worry marring his features. Juvia and Bixlow's attacks did little harm to Koda, evidenced by their deflection and his own stolen sand attack. Max lied on the ground writhing in pain with Laki by his side.

Makarov's earlier one-over of the boy had only brought more worry. He'd never seen how Koda took magic from somebody until today. He wished he still hadn't. One minute Max was forming a Sand Wave and the next he was trapped and being sucked dry. Aside from that, being thrown to the ground hadn't helped with his physical injuries. The blonde was lucky he didn't have to fight off a concussion.

His Titan Magic was keeping Koda at bay the best it could; while he formed a barrier in front of the guild with his body to prevent the more physical attacks from going through, his children were free to bombard the dark wizard at will. Needless to say, Koda wasn't very thrilled with the advantage.

"You can't keep protecting this infernal guild forever, Dreyar!" he yelled. "Even your magic has its limits!"

"I will remain like this for as long as I need to, limits or not!" Makarov countered angrily. "Your power is nothing compared to that of a person who has something to protect!"

This answer wasn't satisfactory. Koda let out a roar – A deep, deafening roar – Which let Makarov know the man was activating Elfman's Beast Soul. What he had to gain over that, the Wizard Saint didn't know. Sure, the user grew in size; but it still wasn't enough to match up with that of a user of Titan Magic.

Even more so, Koda wasn't a heavily-built muscle machine like Elfman was. Viewing the finished product of the transformation, Makarov seemed even more doubtful. This Beast Soul was less impressive in terms of both height and mass, and there was still a staggering difference between them in terms of magic power.

"Feh," Gajeel scoffed from below. "All he's done is made himself a bigger target!"

For a moment, Makarov was inclined to agree. Then Koda moved.

Makarov almost didn't see the man dashing past him. It was a speed he'd not seen from the renegade wizard yet, and wasn't prepared for. He also wasn't prepared for the scream that came from behind him.

The guild master turned around, the water beneath his feet swishing with new waves from the motion. Koda's clawed hand was around Juvia's throat, holding her in the air.

"_Water Magic is such a pure form, isn't it_?" he taunted. Gajeel snarled – Incensed at the sight of his former Phantom ally being handled like a rag doll – And launched himself at Koda with his Iron Club readied. Macao and Cana joined in, with their Purple Flare and Card Magic rearing at the seams. Koda wasn't deterred. He held his hand out, and sent the Leprechaun spell forward at the trio.

Cana easily jumped out of range with a roll, narrowly missing the bullets of energy. Macao and Gajeel weren't so lucky. The elder man put up a flaming shield to block the attack while the younger merely held his arms up. Unlike last time, though, this did little to defend. The bullets pierced Macao's fire, scathing numerous parts of his body. The spell didn't do the same to Gajeel, but it _did_ burn. When the bombardment stopped, the iron-eater's arms returned to normal. His skin was red and charred where Leprechaun had hit, and had steam rising from it.

On his far right, Macao was on his knees and holding his upper arm. The smell of the man's blood wafted through Gajeel's nostrils, matching the sight of red staining the white jacket. "Oi, oi… What _is_ this?" he growled.

Juvia's screech distracted him from his injuries. In front him, Koda had the water-user pinned to the ground by her neck. His other hand was glowing with a sickly green light as it pulled something out of her body.

It was spherical, bright, and giving off a heavy aura. It was Juvia's magic, condensed and being slowly ripped away from her. From the look of it – The way her nails dug into the ground, her tears being the only way to let out her fears – It wasn't by any means a pleasant experience.

"_Let her go_!"

That yell was all too familiar to Juvia. Even through the pain, she could identify it easily.

"G-Gray-sama…" Her voice was constrained, even after Koda lifted his monstrous hand from her throat, but her sight was fine. Through blurred vision, she saw Gray charging at the dark guild master with Elfman in tow, both with pieces of the shattered pillars in their hands. She saw Mirajane yelling, telling the younger boys to get away. She also saw Makarov reaching for Koda with his enormous hand outstretched.

"_Stay away, my children_!" the Fairy Tail master boomed as his fist clenched around his enemy's body. "_This one has become my prey alone_!" Gray and Elfman instantly stopped charging, in favor of staring in awe at their master's fury. Koda laughed loudly, even from his spot in the old man's hand.

"_Feeling threatened, geezer_?" he cackled. "_Not liking the power-up this body gives me_!? _Because __**I**__ am_!"

"_Is that what that body does for you_?" Makarov snarled. "_It increases your strength_?"

"_And speed, let's not forget_!" With a sadistic grin, he added, "_Not to mention __**magic**_." Koda drew in a breath and heaved, sending a bouquet of fire at Makarov's face. The Wizard Saint grit his teeth against the flames, and tried to rub them out with his forearm.

While that distraction was at hand, Koda broke free of the Titan's grip and held his hand high above his head. The sphere containing Juvia's magic – Now hardened into a lacrima – Disappeared into his own body. He sighed. "_Such a refreshing type of magic… I feel much better_. _Now… For the finale_."

The ground shook with tremors as the ocean behind the guild churned. Makarov brushed away the rest of the flames and looked around. It didn't take a genius to guess that Koda was channeling his newly-acquired magic. What exactly he was doing… The master wasn't sure, but Juvia could hazard a guess. Using what little strength she had, she pushed herself up from the ground and called out,

"Everyone… We have to get out of here! He's creating a tidal wave!"

"What!?" Elfman yelled. "He's planning on flooding us!? But what good would that do him!?"

"I… I don't know…" Juvia admitted quietly. When she tried to stand up, a hand kept her in place.

"Don't push yourself too much," Gray kneeled down to warn her. "It's a bad idea, especially right after having your magic taken…"

"Gray-sama…" Juvia's eyes teared up at the gesture. She threw her arms around his midsection and cried. "_Waaah_! You really _do_ care for Juvia!"

"Juvia, now is really-! Not-! The time-!" Gray ground out, trying to squirm away. Makarov ignored the commotion down below and reactivated his Titan Magic. Again the old man grew in size, his height now almost competition for Kardia Cathedral.

"Everyone!" he shouted, palms spread wide in front of him. "_Get back_!_ I'm going to do my best to stop this_!"

"_What makes you think you can_!?" Koda hollered, hands above his head. The tremors increased in magnitude and the ocean began thrashing even more. As his body took on a blue hued-light, he shouted out a magic spell. "_Extinguishing Sheng Magic: Double Wave_!"

Koda swiped his hands downward and towards each other, his right over his left. At once, the waters rose up high and bent towards the fighting guild. Makarov put up a barrier spell in front of him instantly. He wasn't going to waste time with small protection. This was where the big guns came in.

Unfortunately, even Makarov's strongest barrier couldn't erase the pressure set by magic on magic. The waves bounced off the shield and went around, enveloping and flooding the area profusely. Under the water, the Fairy Tail mages were struggling to hold on and breathe. Juvia, the only one hardly affected by the scenery change, was holding onto Gray for dear life in an attempt to keep him from being washed away.

Just as soon as the ocean water washed through, Koda waved his hand over the area and froze it. The splashing and swishing ceased, replaced by solid crystal ice casing everyone in. Makarov – Who was only half-enclosed due to his height – Clenched his icy fists in anger.

"_What have you done_!?" the Wizard Saint roared. Koda smiled.

"_Stop worrying your senior head_. _Your precious children aren't dead_," he reassured the legal guild master sarcastically. "_However… Now their magic is mine for the taking._" Koda glided down to the ice, where Gajeel and Macao were below. "_Having some extra fire power isn't a terrible thing, right_?" Makarov struggled in the ice AS he watched Koda reach down to the ice, preparing his Sky Magic drain spell again.

Just as the master heard a crack in the ice around him, a blazing inferno rained from above.

"_Fire Dragon's Roar_!"

Flames shot down, licking the surface of the ice like a serpent's tongue. Makarov's eyes widened in shock. He knew those flames. He'd be an idiot if he didn't by now. Those were the flames that were always sending paperwork from the council his way!

"_Blumenblatt_!"

"_Sky Dragon's Roar_!"

A rain of ornate metal followed suit, being helped fly via a flow of condensed air. The pressure built up from the swords piercing the frozen jail, the windy attack, and the radiating heat melting the ice could only have come from three people; and when Makarov turned his attention upward, he knew he was correct.

Erza and Wendy were attacking from above with all their strength, the former being clung to by Natsu and the latter being held with Levy by Charle.

"Master, are you alright!?" Erza called down. Makarov smirked.

"More than alright, now that everyone's back!" The guild master flexed his muscles one more time, splintering the ice around him enough for him to break loose. He raised his arms high above his head, the movement completely ridding himself from the encasement. "And I take it everything's alright, Natsu?"

"Not quite…" the Dragonslayer muttered. Natsu released his hold on Erza's leg and dropped down with his arm pulled back. "Hey, _tall, dark, and ugly_! Over here!"

"_What in blazes_-!?" Koda yelled. "_How did you get out_ _of that_-!?" His sentence cut off when Natsu's flaming fist smashed into his face, sending them both crashing through the ice.

When the cloud of cold dust dispersed, Koda was on the ground cringing with Natsu standing above him. The rosette looked anything but pleased.

"_You_… Are going to _pay_…" he seethed angrily. Koda scowled.

"_I don't think so_." A punch for a punch, the dark guild leader's fist met with Natsu's midsection. The fire-eater flew through the nearest wall of ice. The force caused even more of the ice to crumble away. Koda stood up, brushing off dirt from himself. "_I don't know how you managed to break through that Dusk Cage… Or how you got your fire power back so quickly; but I can assure you it won't make a __**speck**__ of difference_."

Fire burst in all directions from the collection of ice boulders. Natsu pushed through them with a flame-ridden kick, heat coming off him in angry waves. "_Yeah_?" he snarled demonically. "We'll _see_ about _**that**_, asshole."

As Natsu and Koda charged at each other, Makarov wasted no time in giving orders to the girls above. "Erza! Wendy! Levy! Help me get rid of this ice! Natsu's magic will help!"

"I understand, Master!" Erza responded. In no time, she requipped into her Flame Empress Armor again and began casting off fire spells with her weapon. Makarov took the pieces she chipped away and hurled them yards away to clear the field. From her spot in the air, Levy began writing her own spell.

"_Solid Script: Fire_!" The letters formed instantly at her command. Fire spewed from them, showering the area with the makeshift heat.

"W-What should I do?" Wendy panicked through trembling lips. "I-I'm a Sky Dragonslayer… I can't do fire spells." Levy seemed to ponder this for a moment before grinning.

"Have no fear, Wendy! I know exactly what you can do!" The older bluenette stretched her neck towards their mode of transportation. "Charle, can you take us down there?"

"Of course," the white cat huffed. Charle lowered their altitude until they were close to the ground. Her wings disappeared in a puff of smoke. Levy and Wendy touched down carefully.

"This is slightly less slippery than I expected it to be…" Levy murmured. "But nevermind that." She drew up another Fire spell and pointed to it. "Wendy, can you generate enough air currents around this to spread the fire over a larger area?"

"I… I can try."

Wendy extended her arms out calmly, closing her eyes. The air around them swirled as she concentrated. With her mind, she carefully bent it towards Levy's Fire and enveloped it. Then, with a blow of her breath, she spread it along the surface of the ice. Levy pumped her fist.

"Yes! Just like that, Wendy! Keep doing that!"

Weapons slashing, fire spreading, and ice chunks being thrown; thanks to Natsu distracting him Koda didn't notice at all. Makarov felt his confidence coming back, especially as more and more layers of ice were being melted and decimated.

Once they reached a certain point in the ice, it was no longer the problem of just a handful of wizards. Power glowed beneath as life sprang forth from the frozen shell. All around the field where the ice was shallow, Fairy Tail members were clawing themselves out from beneath. One of the first was Mirajane.

"That _does_ it!" she growled. Her aura picked up density as her magic kicked in. "I've _had_ it with this! There must be retribution for hurting our guild so much!" No sooner did she decree this than Freed and Lucy destroyed the ice around them, the latter utilizing Loke's help.

"That was some wave," Freed commented in a low tone. "It even hit the guild; but at least the plan can continue now that everyone is here."

"Let's hope this goes fast…" Lucy murmured, trying to warm her arms up. "I'm freezing and I'm running out of magic! Not a good combo!"

"I will take my leave, then," Loke said. "Be careful, Lucy." He wished his mistress farewell before disappearing in a bath of starry light.

Freed quickly looked around the area – As the guild members broke free and helped those who couldn't on their own – Before turning back to the Celestial Spirit user. "How much longer do you think you can hold out?"

"I opened and reopened Loke's gate, along with two others today…" Lucy explained. "Pyxis isn't much, but the other is a Zodiac Key. If we're going to do this… I'd like to get it over with as fast as possible."

"Understood." Freed walked over to Mirajane, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We need to calm this down. I know you want retribution as we all do, but you'll have to settle for after the plan is completed." Despite the angry look he was getting tossed, the rune-user went on. "For now, you need to get your brother unfrozen while I see to Ever. After that, I'll tell the master I'm ready to draw the runes."

"… Fine." Mirajane's aura dimmed slightly, most of her anger repressed. "Lucy, will you be okay here while we go defrost Elfman and Evergreen?" Lucy nodded and gave a smiling thumbs-up.

"Go for it," she encouraged. "I'll be here and ready when you are." Freed and Mirajane nodded, and went to go help the other two mages.

Lucy looked around and followed the main path of destruction. She knew who that was, who was causing the spike in energy and heat; and although she would've loved nothing more than to go help him or cheer him on, she knew she had to stay put. Instead, she gave a silent prayer.

_Natsu… Do your best._

* * *

Even if he wanted to hear – Even if he knew she was even praying for him – Natsu had no time to pay attention to Lucy's plea. To his disturbance, changing into Elfman's Beast Soul form had not deterred Koda's incredible speed. If anything, it gave him a boost. Unfortunately for the Dragonslayer, speed was not his specialty.

No. He relied on power, not speed. He relied on his own strength: The strength built from training, and the strength given by his friends. And right now, his friends were in danger.

Not to mention his own personal issue he had to deal with.

"_Fire Dragon's Wing Attack_!"

Large streams of fire spread from Natsu's hands. He swung his arms forward, his fire clashing into Koda like a long, four thousand-degree whip. Koda seemed unimpressed with the display, even as his skin singed.

"_Water Nebula_!" At the cry, water rushed forward and blasted Natsu into the air with enough force to plough through steel. The fire-user growled as the water suddenly reshaped and formed into a spherical prison.

"Alright, I've really had it up to _**here**_ with your damn cages today!" he snarled. As he yelled, water attacked his lungs and took the place of air. Natsu's eyes widened as he started to choke.

"_Fight fire with water. Any sensible person knows that_," Koda chuckled. "_I have to say, I didn't think I'd be getting so much use out of that girl's magic… But then again, I didn't count on you escaping, either_, _so a Water Lock is a natural choice_." Natsu wanted to backtalk, but the lack of air wouldn't let him. "_Never fear. I won't be killing you today, Natsu Dragneel. You're still needed. The Flame of Emotion's power apparently fades quickly, seeing as how even in this overpowered form my fire still failed to severely hurt that guild master of yours_. _He barely walked away with a burn_."

Natsu wanted to scream. This man had not only used his flames to try and harm Fairy Tail… But its master? _His_ master? Koda was definitely going to pay once he figured a way out of the Water Lock, if the slayer could stop his eyes from closing. Unaware of the boy's inner struggles and fatigue, Koda went on.

"_No matter. Makarov will fall, and then all major obstacles to getting my hands on all of Fairy Tail's magic will be out of the way. After all… When your heart has it in it to kill, you might as well use it. Cyander knows that well; it's one of the only things I genuinely like about him_."

Oh, yes. Cyander did know that well. Natsu saw it himself back in that cavern.

The cavern.

Cobalt.

Ervana.

Natsu's eyes flashed open again.

"_I've known you since you were very small…"_

That's right. There was something Ervana needed to tell him.

And this asshole's lackey is the reason he can't speak to her anymore.

"_You were always a trouble-maker as a child…"_

The Water Lock began bubbling. Koda raised a brow. "_Oh, what is going on with him __**now**_…?"

"_You grew up with us…"_

_But where!? How!? When!?_

Koda's eyes widened. No, the water wasn't just bubbling. It was _boiling_. The steam coming off the top of it made it obvious.

"_That you turned into such a wonderful young man… I will be eternally grateful."_

"_How is he still conscious_!?"

"_Stay safe…"_

The Water Locke burst.

Before Koda knew it, he was facing a hailstorm of fire-wreathed punches and kicks. The flames – Much hotter than they'd previously been – Burned his exposed skin as if he were sitting directly on a stove. It didn't matter if he blocked or not. He was being hurt either way.

Natsu's livid onyx eyes were highlighted by the orange light.

"_You are going to __**pay**__ for everything you've done_!" the Dragonslayer roared. Koda's face scrunched up in a scowl.

"_Just try it_, _you lower class mage_!" Koda jumped out of the way and held his hands out.

Water collected and flew towards Natsu at high speed from one, while another shot out ice arrows. The arrows melted before they would even come into contact with Natsu's body, while the water he skillfully dodged.

Throughout the attempted hits, Natsu felt himself hoping Koda would have one second of stupidity and use a fire attack on him. He could eat and recharge himself. As it stood though, he wouldn't be that lucky. He had his reflexes to dodge, but his reserve energy was still not at its peak after the draining he went through. He had enough for either one huge attack, or a handful of smaller ones.

He'd take his chances with the former.

Natsu ran directly towards Koda, summoning the speed and power he could muster. More water and arrows came at him, but he dodged by artfully going airborne. His arms ignited with dragon's flames.

"_Eat __**this**__, bastard_!" he yelled. "_Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade_!"

Torrents of fire and heat flew towards their target. Koda put up a quick shield of water to counter the attack, but the immense heat evaporated it. The spiraling flames connected hard and sent the man crashing into one of the last remaining boulders of ice. It collapsed on him shortly, ice dust filling the air as a result.

Natsu's chest heaved with heavy breathing. After that burning explosion, he was admittedly tired. Without his full strength back, he didn't think he had much more in him. He grinned to himself. At least he was able to take down his opponent without _too_ much trouble.

Then the ice exploded, shoving Natsu off balance with the blowback.

The rosette jumped to his feet in shock as soon as he felt the ice against his back. He rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision. "What in the name of…?" Natsu's mouth dropped open as the dust cleared.

Koda was getting up out of the ice, clearly with his body functioning perfectly despite the burns he'd acquired.

"_Cute, boy… And still strong, despite not being back to normal_," Koda noted. "_This is why I desire your magic_."

"Are you _**kidding**_ me!?" Natsu yelled. That was one of his strongest moves – And it was being taken so lightly! "How the hell are you still standing!?"

"_You can thank the Take Over boy if you want_," Koda chuckled. "_He's done a fine job of making this body solid and durable_."

"Why… _You_…" Natsu growled. His fists shook in anger; anger directed mostly at himself. He couldn't take down _one_ man? Koda seemed to be able to read his expression easily, by his laughter.

"_Oh, that is a precious face you have on right now_," he mocked. "_Are you out of steam, Natsu Dragneel_?" Natsu's teeth clenched.

"Far _from_ it!"

Before his anger could get the better of him, a strict voice called out for him.

"_Natsu_! Stay where you are!"

The fire-breather's heels skidded to a stopping point across the partially-frozen ground. Confused, he turned to face Makarov – Who had gone back to his original size some time during the fight. "Why are you stopping me, Gramps? This guy needs to pay!"

"Yes, he does," Makarov agreed calmly as he walked past the hothead. "However, exerting energy you don't have is not the way to do it."

"But Gramps-!" Natsu's protest stopped when a firm female hand grasped his shoulder.

"Calm down and watch, Natsu," Erza said. "Master Makarov has explained his plan to me. I can assure you, Koda will definitely get what's coming to him."

"And we're all just going to stand around here like statues!?" Natsu snapped, tearing his shoulder away. "No, _thanks_!"

"I wasn't _suggesting_ you calm down, Natsu…" Erza continued calmly. "I was _telling_ you." With that, the Requip mage's fist flew into Natsu's gut at top speed. The Dragonslayer crumpled up and fell to the ground.

"Right… Got'cha…" he wheezed. "Let… the master… handle it…" Erza smiled at his concession.

Meanwhile, Makarov approached Koda with a stern face held. Koda stared at him in amusement.

"_You're joking, right? You're going to fight me like this? When you're not even at full power?_" Koda leaned and leapt, arm drawn back in a flying punch. "_Fine with me_!" Makarov didn't move an inch. Instead of taking action, he let Koda dash straight into an invisible barrier. The beastly man flew back from the hit, crashing into the ground.

"Thank you, Freed," Makarov said. Koda groaned.

"_Wha_… _What are you_…? _Did you_…?"

"No. _I_ am responsible for your imprisonment." Koda turned his head over his shoulder and saw Freed standing there with his rapier out. "Runes are a specialty of mine, after all."

"_You're trapping me in with runes_." It was a statement more than a question. Suddenly, Koda smiled. "_You're attempting **that** spell on me? And here I thought you couldn't get any more foolish, Makarov_."

"You know of the spell Magical Breakup, then?"

"_Enough to know that it'll never work without a second target. Nice try, though. Once you perform the spell, the runes will disappear and I'll take you out after you've wasted your power!_" The words did not have the desired effect on the guild leader. Instead of dread or fear, Makarov merely chuckled. Koda's eyes narrowed. "_What is so damn funny!?_"

"Do you _really_ think I'd even _attempt_ this spell unless I planned for it to work perfectly?" Makarov's amusement left as he raised his head to the sky and shouted out, "Lucy, go!"

"Now, Virgo!" the blonde's voice came from somewhere near the guild.

Trembling came yet again, but not from any enormous water spell. It felt more like a shy earthquake. Koda glanced at the ground to try and find the source. Suddenly, the earth below him exploded out and up and two figures made their appearance.

It was Virgo and Madilia.

"Is this good, Princess?" Virgo called.

"Yes, it's good!" Lucy replied. "Now get out of there!"

"As you wish, Princess!" Virgo dissipated into the same light Loke had, leaving Madilia alone inside the runes with Koda.

"Seal the runes, Freed!" Makarov commanded.

"Right!"

The green-haired Raijinshuu member enchanted the ground, completely cutting off any exits in the barrier. At the same time, Makarov's body lit up with magic as he input his own magic into the runes. Seconds later, the entirety of the barrier's inside was filled with a bright light and screaming.

"_Ma… You…! Of all the…! You would give up your own magic!?_"

"I have little attachment to what you forcefully gave to me!" Madilia cried against the painful surges of energy the spell was giving off. "If it means destroying your power, I will gladly get rid of my own!"

"_You conniving bitch!_"

There were more screams – Of pain, of anger – Before several bright objects shot out of the barrier's range. The light inside dimmed, leaving Koda and Madilia on the ground nearly unconscious. Koda no longer held the appearance of a Beast Soul user, but instead had reverted back to his original form. Makarov and Freed released themselves from the magical hold, the runes and magic disappearing.

"Wha… What is that!?" Wendy cried, pointing above where the barrier was. The rest of the guild followed her gaze and were equally as shocked.

The light above the two mages was actually a collection of clustered glowing spheres. Each of them gave off an immense amount of magic energy. Makarov knew exactly what they were: They were the lacrimas containing all the stolen magic. Not wasting any time, the Wizard Saint turned to the rest of the guild.

"My children! Call out to your magic with all your spirit!" he commanded. "It's the only way to get it back!"

No one hesitated or questioned the instructions. Within each of their heads, the powerless mages reached out to their individual magic. They wanted it back. They _needed_ it back. Their magic was how they protected their guild. It was their life force. They couldn't live without it any longer.

Each of the lacrimas began to float over to its respective owner. When they got to them, they quickly synched up with the mages and were absorbed into their bodies. Each of the Fairy Tail members receiving them glowed for some seconds while their physical selves readjusted to having stability again.

When the lights cleared and everything seemed back to normal, there was silence. It was deafening, reverberating with only one question – Had the spell worked? Gray was the first to try, albeit hesitantly. His fist planted on his palm, he quietly uttered a spell. "_Ice Make: Shield_."

The amount of joy that welled up in the ice wizard's chest at seeing the shield form in front of him couldn't be put into words. Gray shook where he stood, not knowing how to react. "I… I did it…" he breathed. "It's back… It's really back!"

Juvia and Elfman were next, the latter reclaiming his Beast Soul transformation and the former pushing and pulling the ocean water. In a sheer amount of glee, the water mage jumped Gray and hugged him like a vice and the Take Over sibling started crying manly tears. Near the guild building, Max leapt for joy and hugged Laki in euphoria.

Natsu immediately started spewing flames all over the place, confirming for himself that he was back at full power. A large, toothy grin spread across his face. "Alright! I'm fully back in action!"

A chunk of ice hit the back of his head. "Quit trying to set everything on fire, ash-brains!" Gray snapped. Natsu just laughed at him.

"Hey, look who can fight back now! Gotta say, I missed you being a total weakling! Now I'm only _twice_ as strong as you!"

"You weren't stronger than me even when I'd lost my magic!"

"I so was, you sore loser!"

"Natsu!"

Breaking up the argument between rivals was a Natsu-aimed tackle. Happy flew to his best friend at top speed, barreling into his chest like a flying fur ball. The cat was in near hysterics, with tears coming down his cheeks. "Natsu, where were you!? I was so worried you'd gotten captured or something!"

"Aww, don't worry so much, Happy," Natsu grinned. "Like anyone could capture _me_."

"You _were_ captured, idiot," Gray muttered. Before Natsu could retort, another tackle from Lucy stopped him.

"Natsu, thank _goodness_ you're alright!" she cried. "Is everything okay? What happened?"

"Seriously you guys, stop being concerned about me so much!" Natsu protested weakly. "Look at me! I'm perfectly fine!" Lucy pulled away from her teammate and punched him in the arm.

"Do you have _any_ idea how _scared_ I was, Natsu!?" she yelled as the Dragonslayer rubbed his arm in pain. "I was worried _sick_ that you might've been trapped and had your magic taken away, or _worse_! Then you come back here, not even at full power, and start a fight with an extremely powerful dark wizard, and you tell me _not to be concerned_!? How stupid _are_ you!?"

Natsu inched away from Lucy slowly, a frightened expression on his face. "S-Sorry, Luce… Didn't think it was that big a' deal…"

"Lucy's ugly when she's scary," Happy commented innocently.

"Shut up, you stupid cat!"

* * *

Makarov leaned over Koda's twitching form, staring at the man through half-lidded eyes. One man… It only took one man and his underling to bring disaster upon the guild; and now, said man was lying on the ground defeated, with not so much as one ounce of magic power radiating off of him. He could scarcely believe it.

The old master turned his attention to Madilia, who was lying not too far away. Out of the two, she was the one he was genuinely concerned about. Having your magic ripped out of you was a notably painful experience, and while those with superb physical form and endurance could withstand it, the psychic certainly had neither of those characteristics. Not only that, but she'd given up the brunt of her magic to satiate the Magical Breakup spell.

The pain was undeserved. He'd have to ask Porlyusica to take care of her along with the other guild members. For now, there was a criminal he needed to dispose of.

* * *

_**Two days later…**_

* * *

"_Aachoo_!"

Porlyusica rolled her eyes. "You truly have a weak physical defense, don't you?" Lucy sniffled and glared at the healing mage.

"I-It's not my fault!" she protested. "I _was_ fully frozen in ice, you know!"

"As was everyone else," Porlyusica replied calmly as she looked over a sleeping Max. "_You're_ the only one who caught a cold." To that, Lucy had no reply. She merely huffed and went back to reading her book.

Despite her body temperature still feeling below the norm, Lucy found herself enjoying the warmth that was slowly returning to the guild. While those who needed medical attention rested up, others were working on repairing the damage done to the building. Unsurprisingly, Erza was heading the construction. That woman truly was a leader. Scary, but a leader nonetheless.

Makarov had turned in Koda and Cyander to the council in Era after locating the latter with Levy's help. The members had begrudgingly thanked Fairy Tail for the help in capturing them. Cyander had been placed in a cell protected with high level magic. Koda was placed in another part of the building in a standard cell for regular criminals.

After bringing Koda to Era, Makarov had been told of how the Magical Breakup spell truly worked: It separated lacrima from the target's body, of course, but it also expunged the target's own magic from their physical form. If they didn't call back to their magic in time, it dissipated into nothingness and left the target powerless.

Such was good news for the council and Makarov; not so much for Madilia. When the woman awoke to find herself without her magic, she'd only been slightly surprised. She'd attempted what spells she thought she'd still have, but to no avail. She was a normal human being as of that day.

"_For some reason… I don't feel as upset as I should,"_ she'd said. _"True, I feel a bit more hollow... And it feels like I've left behind an unwanted part of myself, __but… It's not unpleasant._"

Currently Madilia was curled up in her temporary Magnolia home. After primary care done by Porlyusica, she left due to the fact that there were those still in far more to tend to.

Unfortunately, Evergreen had not woken up until yesterday; and because she was unconscious throughout the whole of the battle, she couldn't reclaim he rmagic. Upon learning this she went on a murderous rampage - Mostly taking it out on Freed and Bixlow - And then shortly burst out crying. Elfman had attempted to cheer her up, but that only served to make her angry again. She also directed a lot of her fury at Erza, somehow claiming it Titania's fault that she could no longer be Queen of the Fairies. Erza didn't seem to care a whole lot about the title or that Evergreen wouldn't be able to take it front her anymore. She merely expressed remose that she'd lost a decent opponent. Those words seemed to have calmed Evergreen down for the meantime.

Aside from that mishap, everyone else seemed to be recovering well. She, Max, Juvia, Macao, and some others were still holed up in the infirmary. The more stubborn patients – Namely Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel – Were already on their feet so not as to appear weak to the others.

Male pride at its finest.

The infirmary door creaked open slightly, and a mass of wild periwinkle hair popped through. "Hi, Lu-chan!" Levy greeted cheerily, a red folder in her arms. "How are you feeling?"

"Better… Though I still feel like an ice cube," Lucy joked as she set her book aside.

"The girl needs her body temperature to be a tad higher before I let her go anywhere," Porlyusica added. "Like we need a hypothermic walking around this place along with the bruises and cuts."

"And infections," Levy added with a wry grin. "Let's not forget Macao over here."

"How could I?" Porlyusica snorted. "Though at his age, it's hardly surprising. Miscellaneous cuts and being frozen solid for a while will do that to a person."

"Well… Let's hope he's as stubborn as the others. Obstinacy seems to be the cure for anything nowadays," Levy remarked snidely as she sat down beside her best friend. "Just ask the fire, ice, and metal threesome." Lucy laughed lightly.

"Speaking of that trio, how are _they_ doing?" she inquired. "I mean… They don't like to show they're in pain, but we all know they are."

"Gray is probably doing the best out of all of them," Levy began. "He wasn't too involved in the fight due to his magic being taken; and now that it's back, he's rearing to go on a new mission. Gajeel…" Levy let out an exasperated sigh. "_You_ try getting something out of him. He acts the same no matter what he goes through."

"I take it this means he's sitting around at his table in the back with his feet up."

"When Erza's not on his case, anyway. She's not letting any of the guys stop rebuilding if they show they're feeling up to it."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from her." Lucy brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "And Natsu? What about him? Last I checked he was fine, but… After everything that's happened…"

"Lu-chan…" Levy bit her lip, drumming her fingers on her folder. "That's why I'm up here."

"Huh?" Lucy blinked. In just two seconds, the atmosphere in the room had changed. The whip-user wasn't sure about the heavy implications of the Solid Script mage's words. "What do you need to tell me, Levy-chan?"

"Well, for starters… Natsu's gone."

* * *

And we're so close... So, so close. I wonder if this will end up being my most reviewed story... That would rock.

I'd forgotten about the unconscious Evergreen :/ The losing-her-magic thing was a way to cover that up. I'm sorry, Ever! I love you! Really I do! It's hilarious the way you've made Elfman your bitch time and time again!

Also, if you want a good chuckle, check out Mystic by Christina Kosior on Amazon. The writing is so bad it's laughable. Incredibly facepalm-worthy, but hilariously so.


	25. Of Family and Fire

It seems like I can only write when I'm sick or on break nowadays. Or a combination of both. (I'm currently on the latter.) But the good news is, at least the end is here! ... ... ... Oh, damn. The end is here. Weellllll. That's kind of depressing.

Another thing taking up my time was an MMO called Elsword. For the love of god I've never played anything so addicting. If any of you have an account on there, let me know in a review.

Also, winner of my profile poll was _Pledged_. So yay to those who voted for it!

* * *

_**Chapter 25 - Of Family and Fire**_

* * *

"_Oh, my stars… You __**can't**__ be…"_

_Natsu cocked his head to one side, blinking in confusion. An unfamiliar man was staring at him with wide eyes. The rosette didn't know why. He'd just been walking to the fish market, after all. He owed Happy for making him worry so much. He'd done nothing to warrant the odd gawking directed at him._

_Or maybe he had. He wasn't sure. According to Lucy, a lot of things he did in public could be considered weird; but walking was normal, so why the awkward encounter?_

"_Do I know you?" the Dragonslayer asked._

"_Maybe not…" the man replied equivocally. "But… Does the name 'Irien' ring a bell to you, boy?"_

_Natsu's breath hitched in his throat._

* * *

"Mosa-san was in Magnolia?" Lucy gasped. Levy nodded.

"Apparently he originally came to see what was happening in civilization," she explained. "We left his home in such a hurry and didn't even bother giving him an explanation for why we thought his daughter was alive… I don't blame his curiosity."

"So how do you know this? That Mosa-san was here?"

"Natsu came to get me, since he knew I was working on that mission. He would've gotten you, but you were still unconscious." Lucy frowned. She'd missed this for sleep? She inwardly cursed Porlyusica's medicinal drafts. Helpful as they may be, she could've done without the stupor-inducing side effects.

"But… Ervana-san and Cobalt-san weren't Natsu's parents. That's been established. Why would Mosa-san recognize him? Better yet, why would he bring up that name?" Levy motioned to the folder in her arms.

"This is why…" The Solid Script mage reached into the folder and pulled out some photos Lucy recognized. They were the photos they'd been given at the start of their mission. "Lu-chan… Even with Cyander put away under lock and key, with his spells' effects completely vanished… These _haven't_ disappeared."

Lucy stared down at the photos in surprise. Levy was right. Normally when a wizard was captured or put into a magic-nullifying area, illusions and spells wore off. Cyander was currently in Era in an anti-magic cell being guarded by the council. That only meant one thing.

These photos were real.

The celestial mage looked between the photos and her best friend with puzzled brown eyes. "But… But… _How_…?"

"Because, Lu-chan… Not _all_ of the mission was falsified. At least… Not the story, anyway." Levy continued tapping her fingers along the folder's front. "To start with basic facts… Natsu _did_ live in Darnacor for a time when he was younger; and he _did_ go by the name Irien." Lucy held back a gasp. "And… He _was_ taken care of by two people named Ervana and Cobalt who looked exactly like the, err… _people_ we met."

"But they weren't his parents!" Lucy exclaimed. "Didn't we already determine that?"

"I never said they _were_ his parents, Lu-chan," Levy responded calmly. "I only said they took care of him. They took care of a lot of children." Lucy's blonde brows furrowed.

"I'm not following." Levy gave a silent sigh.

"Lu-chan… Ervana Isdona and Cobalt Nulspina were the names of the caretakers at the local orphanage."

Lucy couldn't hide her shock very well.

"Natsu…" she whispered. "He was…?"

"I'm guessing this is the part where I fill in the gaps in the explanation," Levy said. Her repartee fell flat. "According to Mosa-san, his daughter Ervana worked at Darnacor's orphanage for only a few years before the incident with Discord Palette. Seeing as she wasn't married and couldn't have kids anyway, she felt being a makeshift mother for the children there was her calling; and she hadn't worked for too long before an infant with rose-colored hair had arrived there."

Levy knew she didn't need to say anymore than that. Lucy surely understood who that child was.

"He didn't have a name at first… He'd probably been the child of a relative of a Darnacor resident who wanted a safe, discreet area to leave him. That was a common occurrence for that place, apparently. Ervana-san decided to name him Irien, which was the masculine version of her mother's name. He was the youngest resident they had."

"I'd imagine, if he was still a baby…" Lucy murmured. Levy heard the comment, but pressed on and didn't reply.

"Ervana-san was apparently very attached to him; and from what Mosa-san said, it seemed to be mutual. As soon as Irien learned to walk, he'd constantly follow her home." A snicker escaped from Lucy's lips at the thought of a mini-Natsu toddling after the woman across the town. "Cobalt-san was the person who stayed to watch over the children during the night. He always ran after the Irien and apologized to Ervana-san for not keeping an eye on him. After a while, well… The boy grew attached to both of them and was always clinging to _one_ of their legs. Either that or trying to tackle them while wearing a huge smile on his face." That sounded just a little bit too familiar to Lucy.

"I'm surprised Mosa-san knows this much," the blonde commented. "You know, considering his daughter was the volunteer, not him."

"Mosa-san said he stopped by so often he _should've_ counted as a volunteer," Levy explained with a wry half-smile. "He also said one of the more terrifying things he experienced was when there was a lightning storm hovering above Darnacor. He decided to help out at the orphanage that night since Ervana-san was staying too." The bluenette bit her lip. "That story we were told about Irien being hit by lightning and getting away with only a bruise? Apparently that wasn't fabricated either. Natsu must've had a high resistence even as a child due to his latent magic."

"But-"

"You're saying 'but' a lot today, Lu-chan," Levy cut her off with a listless chuckle. "I know what you mean, though. The spell that Cyander used to temporarily revive Ervana-san and Cobalt-san was a complicated one. The only reason it was broken was because somewhere in her soul, Ervana recognized Natsu. That aside…" The bluenette gave an awkward frown. "For all my knowledge, even _I'm_ not entirely sure why some of her memories surfaced from beyond the grave."

"Well… It's a little too late to be wondering about that, isn't it?" Lucy frowned. "What about that attack by Discord Palette…?"

"Right… I was getting to that." Levy shared her friend's frown. "It turns out, Irien _was_ kidnapped by the dark wizards that day… But only Mosa-san got out alive. Ervana-san and Cobalt-san perished that day."

"I was afraid you'd say that… Though I can't say I'm surprised at that information," Lucy admitted. "I was _expecting_ something terrible like that to pop up in this conversation." Levy shrugged in agreement.

"The rest is pretty much history," she finished off. "Discord Palette wipes his memories, Irien becomes Natsu, and Natsu meets Igneel." With dejected hazel eyes, she added, "What really stinks is that after this, Natsu's real parents are still a mystery."

"Maybe it was meant to stay that way, then," Lucy theorized, partly joking. "You know, fate and all that… Although I'm almost sure Natsu wouldn't share that view…" The hypothermic mage looked over at the photos once more. "So… After all this… Where did Natsu go?"

"He left with Mosa-san," Levy answered. "He said they were going to retrieve Ervana-san and Cobalt-san's bones and give the two a proper reburial. I wasn't one to stop him, and neither was the master."

"So _that's_ where a vial of antidote went," Porlyusica's dry voice muttered. "I wondered why one of them was missing. The old fool must've fetched it for the slayer behind my back." Lucy and Levy nearly jumped. They'd both forgotten that the old woman was still in the room.

"Ah… Right. I almost forgot Natsu was allergic to the Kodora flower…" Levy mumbled. Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"You forgot that half his face was splattered with a rash and that Gajeel had to piggyback him on the way to the guild?" Levy gave a sarcastic laugh.

"I said _almost_," she griped. "Anyway… If Master Makarov gave Natsu some of the antidote, he and Mosa-san probably left for Darnacor. Although I'm not sure why they'd go there…"

"That's for them to know, I guess…" Lucy sighed. "… Is it bad that I wish I could've gone with them?"

"No, I'm curious too," Levy agreed. "I don't think it would do us any good to try and follow them, though…"

"Correct, girl," Porlyusica cut in. "This is a private matter to be left alone to those involved. Now, if you have nothing else to do here, kindly leave. It's crowded enough without an extra space occupier using up the clean air. God knows the last thing these injured Fairy Tail idiots need is _less_ oxygen flowing to their brains." Lucy and Levy grimaced.

"… Porlyusica-san can be very sharp-tongued, can't she…?"

"No kidding…"

Porlyusica snorted. It was a compliment to her, to say she was sharp-tongued. It was an understatement, but still a compliment.

"Can it. I'm leaving after I make more drafts. At _least_ pay me the respect I deserve and be quiet while I'm doing so. I want me out of here as much as you do."

Lucy and Levy merely nodded at the straightforward request.

* * *

She was just at the border of Magnolia when a very strong presence came up behind her.

"You're leaving without a good-bye? Or thanks?"

Madilia turned around to face the Wizard Saint, and was met with an elderly, wry smile. A knowing smile. It's the one expression that suited the man best.

"It's best I leave as soon as possible," she replied. "Cutting ties should be like getting rid of adhesive bandages: Quickly and without remorse."

"And you won't even allow me to say 'Thank you'?" Makarov repeated. "Because I owe you that at least, for helping save my children."

"I require nothing of the sort for what I would have done had it been in my own power to do so." Madilia fingered the hood of her cloak. "I must be going now. I have places to see, and not enough time to visit them all."

"You're not cutting ties with everyone, you know." Makarov's words were quickly given before the former psychic could even make a move. "Do you not remember our promise? You'll be contacting Fairy Tail in the future. You told me that yourself."

"... I suppose you're right, Makarov Dreyar... So long as that promise is _kept_, anyway." His smile increased to a very toothy grin.

"You think I won't keep it now that you're powerless? You have nothing to worry about, missy. Consider my end of the promise my way of thanking you, then, since you won't take anything else offered." Madilia gave her own bare smile.

"If you insist upon it, then so be it."

"Good." Makarov proceeded to slap her on her rear, causing an uncharacteristic jump from Madilia. The old man hooted and ran off. "_Damn_, I've been waiting to do that!"

"You… _You_…!" Madilia huffed and smoothed down her dress. "That _man_… Honestly, if he wasn't keeping that promise I would- Ah."

Her hand stopped over where Makarov had touched her, feeling an unfamiliar material on top of her clothing's fabric. When she pulled it off, she saw it was an envelope. "What in the…?" Carefully she glided her finger beneath the fold, tearing the seal and allowing for a look at the letter inside. Another piece of paper fell out when she unfolded it. She had it in her grasp before it could fall far. She blinked curiously. "A… train ticket?" Madilia turned to the letter again to search for an answer.

_You might not want any thanks or help, but I'm giving you both anyway. Being blunt, it's incredibly difficult to survive out there without magic to help. I've seen the struggles people can go through. Even if you don't think you need it, or don't want to admit it, your life isn't going to be as secure as it once was._

_I know this isn't a HUGE help, but hey. I'm on a budget thanks to these destructive children of mine. This ticket will take you to the next two towns. Keep in mind that there's an expiration date on it. Don't take too long deciding whether or not to accept my kindness._

"You did _not_ have to do that, Makarov Dreyar," Madilia muttered. "... But I shall thank you nonetheless."

The woman's arms retreated back into her cloak. Comfortable and slightly reassured, she changed direction and made her way towards Magnolia's only station.

* * *

_I shouldn't be here._

Another stroke of the shovel. More soil sifted and landed to the side in a dirty puff of smoke.

_I shouldn't be __**allowed**__ to be here._

Natsu shoved the tool into the ground, leaning on the handle tiredly.

_So why am I here again?_

His fatigue wasn't allergy-induced this time, despite him having made his way through Darnacor's blossoming wall of plant life. It was _emotional_ fatigue that had him lower than Zeref's grave. _And speaking of graves…_

Natsu halfheartedly picked the shovel and began digging again. If he wasn't so out of it, the small burial would've been done by now; but it was hard to concentrate on anything when the bones of a once-living being were staring at your back.

The thought sent a shiver down the Dragonslayer's back. He could handle fights, he could handle blood, he could handle broken limbs; hell, he'd handled abandonment better than most people would. Death was a foreign concept to him. Sure, he _knew_ people died. Old age and battle wounds got the better of most, and the other less fortunate met their fate through – Heaven forbid – Dark magic or poison. (Or poisonous dark magic – Something he'd never come into contact with, and hopefully never would.) It was entirely different to see and touch the remains of a person. The fact that the person was someone he'd apparently met in the past only made it more difficult.

And the _smell_. It was _killing_ him. Sometimes, Natsu _really_ wished he didn't have a dragon's five senses. Old and musty and covered in dirt, it was; but the bones were fresh enough – Had enough life left in them – To make him uncomfortable.

Another shudder from the slayer, followed by a feathered thud to the back of his head.

Natsu turned and glanced at the ground. A helpless gardening glove, fingers flopped over each other, stared back at him.

"You done yet, kid?" Mosa asked, wiping his bare hand of sweat. "I'm aged far beyond you, and _I_ finished." The elder man's brows rose. "Kid, digging two feet isn't that hard, especially when this place was _already_ a gravesite. In fact, it should be _easier_ considering how much younger and stronger you are than me."

"I…" Natsu averted his gaze distractedly. "Sorry…"

Mosa gave the rosette a once over and sighed. "Alright, kid… Give me the shovel." Natsu perked up instantly.

"What?"

"You deaf?" Mosa walked over and ripped the shovel from underneath Natsu's arms. Natsu almost fell forward from the motion. "I'll finish here. Meanwhile, why don't you go pay your respects to my daughter?"

"Your…?" Natsu gazed past the man, to where a new grave marker was sticking out of newly-turned soil.

"She loved you, you know. Well, she loved _all_ the kids, but it's hard not to make room in your heart for a little guy that follows you home because he's lonely."

"But I don't-!" Natsu's protest began. "I don't…"

"Y'don't remember, I know. I gathered enough from that blue-haired girl to put two and two together; but you know… She'd still appreciate it, if you just talked to her."

"She's dead," Natsu said flatly. "She wouldn't hear me even if I did."

"You don't think I know that by now?" Mosa asked skeptically. "Of course she's dead, kid. We wouldn't be here if she wasn't. You and your friends wouldn't have gone through what you did if she hadn't been in a grave." Natsu inwardly winced. "However…" A firm palm to the shoulder surprised the Dragonslayer. The corner of Mosa's mouth twitched up. "Being dead doesn't mean someone can't feel what you're going through. Spirits are a funny thing, in that they have a way of knowing what their loved ones are thinking or saying to them when it matters. Ervana will hear you. Take my word for it."

"… How would you know?" Natsu inquired with a raised eyebrow. "You aren't dead. How do you know if spirits can hear you or not?"

Mosa slapped Natsu upside the head with his other glove. Natsu flinched backwards.

"Stop giving me sass, kid. Just like my age, my wisdom goes _far_ beyond your own."

"But-"

"I mean it. Don't question your elders, kid. Now, go. You might find you have more to say than you think."

* * *

It wasn't elaborate, Natsu observed. The grave marker was of old, burned wood from one of the surrounding buildings, one that had been decimated during the attack years ago. The mound of dirt it stuck out of was soft and new, but then it _had_ just been formed a few minutes ago. Mosa's footprints could be seen around it with varying depths to each.

It was the best they could do – Reburying her remains where they came from. Hers and Cobalt's. The good deed was nearly lost on Natsu, though. He wasn't sure what gave him the right to help with this. Mosa was the person who gave him the option, and he'd taken it; nonetheless, he couldn't find a reason for either.

"I don't know what I'm doing," he admitted quietly to the marker. "Mosa said to talk to you, but… If you can't even hear me, what's the point?"

No reply. Not that Natsu expected one.

"I mean… I hate to admit it, I don't remember a damn thing about you or Cobalt. Stupid dark guild woman is the reason for that." Natsu hummed in thought. "Ah, sorry… I probably didn't speak like that when I was younger. Nowadays, I tend to have a foul mouth. At least, that's what Lucy says. I don't have a problem with how I speak, but she's always yelling at me for being rude."

He wasn't sure when he'd decided to sit down in the dirt; but it was a lot more comfortable sitting that it was standing.

"Ah, right. You don't know Luce, right? I mean, the real you doesn't… Since you were under a spell and everything, I'm not sure if you remember or not. Luce is my partner, and one of my best friends." Natsu chuckled. "I don't know anything about you personality-wise, but I think you'd like her. Everyone seems to. She's got that real friendly aura around her that makes her a perfect fit in our guild. Ah! Sorry. Guess I got off topic for a moment. That's another thing I do a lot. I can't help it, though. There are so many interesting things in the world that it's hard to keep a conversation on track!"

The Dragonslayer played with the tips of his sandals. "I've kinda' figured out what you were telling me about in the cavern. Why you were talking the way you were… But I guess you already knew that, huh? I mean, since I'm here and all… Truth be told, I'm not exactly comfortable with the idea of having parents in my life. Or any human guardian. It's not how I was raised – Or remember being raised, anyway. The furthest I can remember back is Igneel. He's a dragon." Natsu grinned. "You might not believe it, but Igneel was the best guy ever. He and I played a lot of games, and he taught me some incredible fire magic! He also beat sense into me when I misbehaved or spoke back to him, but I know he did it to help me and whip me into line. Can you imagine how much of a pompous ass I'd have turned out to be if he _hadn't_ told me off every now and then?

"Ah, sorry again. I'm trying to watch my mouth here, but it's more difficult than I thought it'd be."

A moment of silence followed, broken by call of birds in the distance.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad," Natsu continued. "Honest. I'm sure you did a good job looking after me and whatever other kids were here… But like I said, Igneel's the only one I can remember. And Fairy Tail is the greatest home anyone could ask for."

The grave still gave no indication that it could hear him. The fire mage pressed on.

"Actually, I… I wish I could get some of those memories back," Natsu admitted reluctantly. "From what Mosa and Levy were saying, you and Cobalt sounded like nice people… And those photos I saw when I went into Luce's box… It looked like we got along well. After all, I'd have to _really_ like someone to follow them home. Or to sit through _fishing_. Usually Gildarts is the only one who can talk me into fishing.

"Levy told me the spell that was used to make me forget couldn't be reversed, though. It didn't repress my memories, it eliminated them entirely. Stupid woman."

After another brief pause, Natsu cocked an awkward half-smile. "Well… She _might_ be alright. From what I understand, it wasn't like she had a choice in the matter; and she _did_ help Fairy Tail out. Doesn't make me feel any better, though. If anything, it just makes me hate that damn dark guild even more."

The topic was changing again, Natsu realized. It wasn't a topic he liked, either. He decided to start over with something else.

"I remember Cobalt saying I used to be a troublemaker back then," he said. "Guess nothing's really changed over the years. Ask anybody in the guild, my team and I are the ones who cause the most damage on missions. I'm actually kinda' proud of our destructive streak, but don't let Gramps know that. He might start thinking I cause property damage on _purpose_. Then I'd _really_ get it.

"I'd definitely let you and Cobalt meet Gramps, since he's awesome and should be known by everyone… But, y'know… You guys are dead."

Natsu pushed back his bangs with his hand. "I'm still not really sure why I decided to come here. It's not accomplishing anything, is it? Sure, I wanted to help lay you guys to rest permanently, but… For someone who doesn't know you or remember you, it seems like a pretty hollow deed.

"Mosa said you'd want me to talk to you. Is that true? I mean, I'm not the most intelligent person out there to converse with…" The rosette laughed sheepishly. "But I guess I _am_ more interesting than half the people you've probably spoken to, huh?"

The marker was silent, agreeing and disagreeing with the slayer.

"I can't believe I'm sitting here doing this. Am I seriously thinking you can hear me? Maybe Mosa is rubbing off on my somehow. I hope that's the case, anyway. I'd rather it be that than me going insane. Pretty sure most people in the Fairy Tail already think I'm insane, though. Especially Luce. She thought I was crazy from day one."

Natsu looked around the area silently. "I… I'm not sure what else I should say, really. What am I supposed to say to a dead person? Or… their grave?

"I'm… not used to death being around me. I know it happens, but… You guys were supposed to be close to me. You _were_ close to me; and even though I don't remember you guys… I dunno, it's just _unnerving_. I'm talking to the _bones_ of someone that apparently cared for me a lot. That's enough to make even _me_ edgy. Not that anyone else will ever hear me admit that. Especially Gray."

Natsu's shoulders flattened as he looked to the sky. The colors themselves practically told him the time. It wasn't yet dusk, but it soon would be. He sighed.

"I should probably be getting back to Fairy Tail," he murmured. "I kinda' ditched helping rebuild the guild hall to come here, even if it was unintentional… I don't even wanna _imagine_ what kind of punishment Erza is gonna give me when I get back. Probably should've made sure she knew where I was going before coming here."

The grave marker, again, didn't respond. Natsu unfolded his legs and got to his feet.

"I feel kinda' bad that I don't have anything really worthwhile to say to you…" he said. "I know I'm not the best company, but… Maybe, when I get my thoughts sorted out more… In the future, I mean… Maybe I could visit again? If I'm not bothering you, that is."

A pause.

"What the hell am I saying, of course it doesn't bother you… How can anything bother you when you're not even alive?" Natsu shook his head. "I'm not even sure what I believe anymore, talking like this… Can you actually hear me or an I just thinking out loud?"

The permeating silence geared him more toward the latter.

"I guess I can take the optimist route here, for Mosa's sake… And yours," Natsu mumbled. "For now, I'll believe that you can hear me; and by that… Thanks." The Dragonslayer smiled. "For what you apparently did for me in the past. Can't recall anything, obviously, but if I did… I'd probably be even more grateful for it. For now, though… Just… Thanks."

As Natsu started walking away from the makeshift grave, a strong breeze rustled the trees around the area; and for a moment, just for a moment, he thought he heard a voice. It was faint, but it was something – A female voice, offering him his own phrase back.

_Thank you…_

Natsu glanced around, wondering where and why he'd heard someone speaking. His eyes landed on the grave once more, staying there for a prolonged moment of time. He quickly shook his head and started walking to where Mosa was.

Hearing voices? Natsu snorted at the thought.

He was right. He _was_ going insane.

* * *

It was after sunset when Natsu returned to Magnolia. There was a distinct lack of people on the streets at this time, making for a quiet trod across the cobblestone streets. The silence would normally irritate the slayer – After all, silence was _boring_ – But the day itself had been a solemn, quiet one and he couldn't find the heart to start being bothered by it now.

He vaguely wondered whether or not he should stop by Lucy's house, and whether or not she would be awake. It didn't take long for him to remember that she wouldn't be home even if he did go there. She was stuck in the guild's infirmary with a cold. No way she was home right now. The old witch wouldn't let her leave until she was one hundred percent okay.

Which meant that he, theoretically, wouldn't be bothered if he were to sleep in her super-comfy bed tonight. She didn't have his sense of smell. She'd probably never know if he did.

But then, doing sneaky things like that wasn't in his nature. He'd feel bad if he didn't at least ask her first. Plus, it wouldn't be as fun sleeping in Lucy's bed if Lucy herself wasn't there. After all, 'the more the merrier', right? Happy would surely agree.

Oh, right. Wasn't he supposed to have gotten Happy a fish today? Hopefully the cat wouldn't be too mad with him. He'll get him a nice salmon or something come tomorrow morning. The market wouldn't be open at this hour.

He was yards away from the guild when Gray suddenly flew through the doors and crashed into him.

For a brief, three-second moment, both boys lied there in a semi-unconscious heap. When they both finally realized who they were clumped together with, they sprang back to life and took on fighting stances.

"Watch where you're _walking_, soot-for-brains!" Gray barked at his rival.

"Me!? _You're_ the one who came at me at mach five, Shaved Ice!" Natsu snapped back.

"Like that's _my_ fault!? Erza _threw_ me! And who are you calling _shaved_!?"

"What'd you _do_ to make the monster mad, huh!? _Strip_ again?!" A pause from the shirtless, pant-less ice mage was enough of an answer. Natsu cackled. "Maybe I should just go burn all your underwear so you'll think twice about undressing unconsciously in front of Erza!"

"Hell, _I'm_ surprised you can use the word 'unconsciously' in a sentence! _Correctly_, too!" Gray retorted. "And if you _ever_ come near my underwear, I'll freeze _yours_ to subzero temperatures!"

"Ha! I'll just melt 'em, Frosty Pants! Duh!"

"_Now you two are __**fighting**_!?" an angry yell came from inside the Fairy Tail guild hall. The redhead Titania followed her bellow, stepping outside to greet her male teammates with a glare. The boys froze up as quickly as they'd been to argue.

"E-E-Erza, we didn't mean-!" Gray began nervously, putting his arm around Natsu's shoulders. "W-We're not exactly fighting, you see-!"

"Y-Yeah!" Natsu agreed, mimicking Gray's movement. "I-It's just friendly banter, ya know?"

"And _you_, Natsu!" Erza growled, ignoring their poorly-made excuses. "You were supposed to be helping with the repairs to the guild! And you _skipped out_ on it!? Even _Gajeel_ is doing his part!"

"Yeah, because you threatened him…" Gray murmured to himself.

"L-Listen, Erza…" Natsu started. "I didn't skip for the hell of it, ya know-!"

"Stop with the excuses!" Erza interrupted angrily, summoning one of her many swords.

"Now would be a _really_ good time to start running, Natsu," Gray said under his breath.

"That might be the best suggestion you've ever had, you bastard," the Dragonslayer muttered. Seeing Erza coming at him full swing, Natsu took back his arm and dove for the inside of the guild. Gray just watched in silent relief as the Requip mage changed her target.

"Good… At least she isn't after _me_ anymore."

* * *

Some yelling and rumbling footsteps later, Lucy began to stir. Even opening her eyes slightly didn't beget much light, which meant that it was late in the evening. Too late for her to be awake. _Ugh, why am I even up at this hour? __Aren't those drafts supposed to knock me out completely?_

She snorted at the obvious answer.

_Right. Annoying guildmates. A full night of sleep is **not** an option._

Seriously, didn't they have _any_ tact? There were people in the infirmary trying to sleep, for heaven's sake! Sure, being quiet and obedient wasn't a prerequisite for a Fairy Tail member – Quite the opposite, actually – But at _night_? Come on!

Who would still be here to make that kind of noise, anyway? Erza, for sure. She was in charge of making sure everything was put together smoothly, and Lucy had heard her yelling at Gray for going around in nothing but his boxers. Obviously those two were still hanging around; but she'd also distinctly heard Erza kicking Gray through the doors and telling him not to come back until he was dressed. So who was being chased around-?

The infirmary door opened and closed in a matter of milliseconds, startling Lucy enough to halt her train of thought.

Heavy breathing accompanied the new visitor, along with some short curses – Most of which were directed at Erza. Lucy shifted her weight to her elbows and pushed herself up to get a better look. Through darkness and bleary eyes she couldn't tell, but it seemed like the person had brightly-colored hair.

Messy, spiky, brightly-colored pink hair.

"… Natsu…?" she called softly. "Is that you?"

Natsu jumped from his hunched-over position, not expecting anyone in here to be awake. He settled down once he realized it was Lucy who had spotted him.

"Oh, hey Luce!" he greeted with a smile. "I didn't know you were awake!"

"I wasn't," she griped tiredly. "You and Erza woke me up with your midnight chase." Natsu laughed apologetically as he made his way over to her bedside.

"My bad, Luce. Sorry. Were we really that loud?"

"You have to ask?"

"Good point." Natsu took up the chair that Levy had earlier in the day, placing himself between the window and the head of the bed. "Since you're awake, we can talk! Y'know, until Erza finds me and skins me alive for ditching work today."

"She might do it this time, too. She was livid when she realized you were gone."

"And nobody thought to explain to her where I was?"

"Nobody _knew_ where you went, Natsu. With the exception of Levy and Makarov, everyone else thought you skipped because you were lazy."

"Why would I _not_ help rebuild the guild? Assholes have no faith in me…" Natsu grumbled, folding his arms over like a petulant child. His irritated expression began to fade when he went over Lucy's words again. "… Wait, so _you_ knew where I was?"

"Levy-chan tells me _everything_, Natsu."

"True…" The rosette squirmed in his seat. "I guess that means you know, huh…"

"You mean…? Yeah…" Lucy nodded. "I do."

Natsu wasn't sure what else to say in response. Lucy probably had questions. She always did. However, the questions she had were more than likely ones he wouldn't be able to answer. In that respect, it was better to keep quiet.

The Natsu-induced awkward silence lasted for all but ten seconds before Lucy decided to break it.

"Ervana-san and Cobalt-san were laid to rest properly?"

"Yeah… They were," Natsu murmured. "Nothing special, though. Not like you can do much in a torn-up place like that anyway."

"It was still nice of you to help Mosa-san out, though; and I'm sure Ervana-san and Cobalt-san appreciate it, too." Natsu stared at her disbelievingly.

"Don't tell me you believe in that afterlife-spirit-talking crap _too_?"

"Uhh…?" Luck blinked. "What are you talking about?" Natsu scoffed.

"That Mosa guy was telling me that people can hear you from beyond the grave if you talk to them," he explained. "What a load." Lucy frowned.

"I know what Mosa-san was talking about… To be honest, I kind of believe it myself." Now Natsu was _really_ staring at her.

"You _do_?"

"It makes it easier to deal with everything… I would know. I talk to my mother for hours when I go see her." Natsu instantly bit back his tongue, chastising himself in his mind. _Right. I almost forgot about…_

"Sorry, Luce…"

"It's fine, Natsu," the blonde reassured him gently. "Everyone believes in different things. I don't take offense to that." Natsu sighed in relief. _That's good… Wouldn't want her mad at me, too. Erza's enough to deal with._ "Out of curiosity, Natsu, did you and Mosa-san talk more?"

"About…? Oh. _Oh_. No, not really." Natsu shook his head. "If you're asking me if I learned anything that I wasn't already told… Then no. I mean, we chatted and stuff… But it wasn't anything big."

"Ah… I see…" Lucy's eyes wandered to another part of the room as he attempt at continuing their conversation failed. Yet when Natsu spoke up again, she found her attention promptly drawn back.

"I _did_ speak to her, though," he mumbled, resting his chin in his palm. Lucy's eyes widened at that. Natsu didn't notice. His head was turned to the window instead.

"You mean… Ervana-san?"

"Who else would I be talking about?" Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I know, it's that… You were _just_ telling me about how talking to the dead is stupid, and now you're freely admitting to doing it."

"So I'm a hypocrite. Big deal," Natsu snorted. Yet another few seconds of quiet from the slayer. His sarcasm wore off in the meantime. "It… It felt kinda' weird, talking to a grave… I've never done it before; but… even though I thought I was losing my mind talking to a pile of dirt… Hey, Luce."

"Huh? What?" Lucy cocked her head to one side. _Why'd he stop in the middle like that?_

"Luce, do you… When you talk to your mom… Do you ever feel like… Like she _can_ hear you?" Natsu sat back in the chair and crossed his legs. "… 'Cause… I dunno, it felt like that. For the most part, I thought the lady could actually understand what I was saying."

"Natsu…"

"I'm not crazy, right? Because for a moment back in that place I thought I was losing my mind, hearing voices and stuff."

"Natsu?"

"I even said I'd visit her again, which I'm not sure about since I don't think dead people know if they're being promised something-"

"Natsu!" Lucy tried again more forcefully. Natsu didn't cut her off this time, so she went on. "Natsu, I _do_ feel like that when I talk with my mom. Somehow… I don't feel as though she's really gone when I do. It's one-sided, but I'm still talking to her – _With_ her. It's… less lonely to think otherwise." Natsu nodded.

"Right… I get that…"

"As for the hearing voices thing…" Lucy giggled and poked Natsu in the forehead. "That's your _own_ problem. I keep saying you should get your head checked; maybe you'll take me up on my idea now." Natsu pushed her hand away with a pout.

"Nope, still won't. I don't like it when you prove me right."

"Which means you're going to be stubborn and insist otherwise? Figures." Natsu stuck his tongue out at her. Lucy only laughed. "So, you promised Ervana-san that you'd visit her again?"

"Well … Not just her," Natsu replied with a shrug. "I mean, I told her that but I meant her and Cobalt."

"That's sweet of you," Lucy said. "Considering they were your family, that's a good promise."

"Yeah… Family…" Natsu muttered.

He'd like to have made the same retort he always did, but his heart wasn't into denying it. In his mind, he'd freely admit it. He did have a family in the past. Not related by blood, of course, but a family. He wondered if as many people as him were as blessed to have more than one. Ervana and Cobalt were his first; that was for sure now. Igneel was – Still is, wherever the dragon resided – His cherished second. His overall family, though? It was the one he met last.

Here in Magnolia, this is where he belonged. He'd never be able to live without his guild again.

Fairy Tail… Happy… Lucy.

They were all he needed in his life.

The door slammed open again, leaving an angry aura to flood the room from the entrance. Erza stormed in, ready to kick the nearest Dragonslayer out the window.

"So _here_ you are, Natsu…"

Natsu yelped and leapt over Lucy's bed, making a mad dash for the hall.

"See ya, Luce!" he called on his way out.

"Get _back_ here!" Erza yelled after him angrily. The Requip mage murmured a brief apology to Lucy for interrupting her sleep, and then continued her chase.

As the room went back to its sleepy silence, Lucy could only sigh.

"Great. _Now_ how am I supposed to sleep…?"

* * *

I guess that's... Pretty much it. All that's left is an epilogue and preview of my next story.

Oh, and a proper thanks to my reviewers. Because I am WAY too tired and feverish to even bother looking up all the usernames you guys have.


	26. A Promise Kept

Not my usual length, but this is just an epilogue. Keep in mind this takes place two years after the Tenrou incident, and in the middle of what's to be my next story. (Which will be up within the week.) It's not really Natsu centric, Lucy centric, etc. Why?

Well,_ the damned entirety of Pledged is going to be **NaLu**_. This is a breather in-story for me and also ties up the last point in _Identity _I made a while back, so... Here. I get to wrap up _Identity_ finally and you guys get a peek at chapter 9 of _Pledged_.

Oh, yeah. Since I deleted my InuYasha story, this is now my most reviewed! I was going to keep it up for nostalgia's sake, but then I reread it and... I shuddered.

* * *

_**Epilogue - A Promise Kept**_

* * *

Any part of Magnolia away from the Fairy Tail building was usually quiet. The closer you were to the guild, the more likely you were to see something crash and explode… Or burst into flames… Or freeze at subzero temperatures… Or…

Well, the point was that things could and _would_ go wrong when in that particular vicinity. Common knowledge, Levy supposed. So she wasn't sure why she was hearing so much yelling on her way back from the library, which was all the way across town. Deciding to check it out, the bookworm cut through the nearest alley and came to one of the smaller marketplaces in the chain.

"Come on, kid! Speak up! I know it was you!"

The owner of a local fruit stand was talking down – Yelling was more like it, Levy thought – To a small girl dressed in purple who couldn't be more than seven. Other people were cautiously watching the scene from afar, none of them making a move. Silent observation in case anything went wrong, no doubt.

The girl just shook her head frantically and stepped back, gripping the straps of her backpack tightly. The man reached out and grabbed her by the wrist.

"Either speak up or give me back my produce, kid! I don't have all day for this!"

Still the girl did not speak. Levy wondered why she didn't open her mouth and plead her case. It was obvious the man thought she stole something from him, and even if he was right it would be normal for the girl to deny it anyway.

Seeing the tears on the girl's face, Levy bit her bottom lip. If nobody else was going to intervene, then maybe she should try-

"What are you _doing_!?"

A boy about the same height as the girl dashed through and slapped the man's hand away. Levy blinked, looking behind her and back. She'd barely seen him go past her!

"Why are you hurting my friend!?" the boy screamed.

"Your friend there stole two pounds of grapes from me!" the man snapped back. "And she won't pay up! She won't even talk!"

The boy lost his glare momentarily as he turned to the girl. He murmured something to her, and in response her hands started moving speedily through foreign gestures. Levy's hazel eyes widened in recognition.

Sign language.

"She says she put money on the edge of the melon's shelf," the boy interpreted. "She didn't want to bother you because you were in the middle of talking with another customer."

The owner of the stand went and looked at the shelf hurriedly. Levy saw him hesitate as he stared at one particular area. Sure enough, the owner bent down and came back up with some stray coins. The bluenette guessed that he would find just enough there once he was done counting.

Seconds later, the man walked back over to the children and bowed his head. "I, uh… I found the money," he said. "But… Why didn't she just point it out to me when I was yelling at her?"

More hand motions from the girl with more translation by the boy.

"She says you were scaring her, that's why."

The man had the decency to blush in shame.

"I… I'm terribly sorry, you two. It won't happen again."

"It won't, because we're likely not going to be in this part of town again," the boy replied bluntly. "If you want to make it up to us, though, would you mind telling me where I could find a man named Makarov Dreyar?"

Levy's attention snapped to it. _This boy knows the master?_

"Makarov Dreyar…" the owner hummed. "Wasn't he the previous guild master of Fairy Tail?"

"Previous?" The boy cocked his head to one side. "I thought he was still the guild master."

"… Oh, damn! Sorry, kid." The owner chuckled nervously. "Makarov-san disappeared with some of the other guild members years back, so they had another master for a while. Guess I'm still a little behind the times. As far as I know, Makarov-san is still with Fairy Tail alive and well. Head to the north part of the city to find the guild hall. Just be cautious. Fights tend to break out over there."

"I… will keep it in mind." Without further words, the boy grabbed the girl by her hand and speed-walked away. Levy chased after the two, shoes scraping the cobblestone as she jobbed.

"H-Hang on, there!" she exclaimed. The children halted almost immediately at the call. The boy eyed her with guarded green eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked. "I don't know you."

"No, but you know my master," the bluenette said. "You… did say Makarov Dreyar just now, right?"

"Yes… And you are?"

"I'm Levy McGarden, Fairy Tail's resident Solid Script mage." That got a reaction out of both children, both of surprise for different reasons. The girl began signing again, to which the boy nodded and said to her,

"She says you look more like you read than do magic."

"Err. I- Well…" Levy frowned. "That's vaguely insulting, you know. True, but insulting."

"She's good at reading people," the boy explained. "… No pun intended."

"Is she a magic user?"

"No. She just has good intuition."

"I see…" Levy bent down to their height, making eye contact with the only speaker between the two. "Are _you_ a magic user, little boy?"

"Yes," the boy replied without hesitation. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't call me 'little'. I'm practically seven already."

"Can I call you by your name, then? What is it? I told you mine, so now it's your turn."

"I suppose that's fair. I'm Crow, and her name," Crow gestured to his friend, "is August."

"Crow-kun and August-chan, huh?" Levy smiled. "Nice to meet you both. Do you want me to take you to Fairy Tail to see the master?"

"If Makarov Dreyar is the master," Crow began, "that would be most helpful of you."

"Well, I _am_ a helpful person!" Levy chuckled. "Now, come on. I'll be your tour guide on the way as well."

* * *

Makarov hadn't _meant_ to fall into a pit, honest. Nor was it his fault that his bare scalp got cut. _Nor_ was it his fault that the stupid thing hadn't stopped bleeding enough for Erza to leave him alone. Why didn't anybody in that damned guild realize that you bleed from your head more than anywhere else on your body and it didn't _have_ to be serious for it to look bad?

Porlyusica let him have it for bothering her with such a menial injury. She slapped gauze on him and kicked him out the door faster than he'd walked in. Makarov grumbled. It wasn't like Erza had given him much of a choice. You'd think a woman who's constantly going into battles would know how delicate the skin on your head is.

The few people lounging at the front of the guild hall greeted him with a smile, taking jabs at the extra bruise he had thanks to his old friend. Makarov laughed it off with them before noticing the small crowd at the bar. The Wizard Saint raised a gray brow. Did someone bring an animal or something here? Everyone seemed so concentrated…

"Hey, Mirajane."

"Ah! Welcome back, master!" the barmaid greeted with a smile. "How was your visit to Porlyusica-san's home?"

"Unpleasant, but I don't expect anything less from that woman." Makarov motioned to the rightwards group. "Is something going on that I should know about?"

"Oh, that's right!" Mirajane gasped. "Levy brought two children with her to the guild today!"

"Children?" Makarov asked in surprise. "What's she doing with children?"

"She said they were wandering around Magnolia looking for you, master."

"_Me_? What do a couple of youngsters want with _me_?"

"I don't know. They haven't told anyone why since they got here. At any rate," Mirajane added with a wink, "It's best to ask them yourself, don't you think?"

He couldn't agree more.

* * *

As Makarov closed in on the group, he could make out the different things being said.

"… the elements? That's so cool!"

"Yeah, but I can only use one for fifteen seconds and that's it. Then I have to wait until the next day before I can do anything…"

"That's kinda' lame, kid."

"Stop picking on him."

"He kind of looks like Gray."

"It's just the hair color, stupid. He looks _nothing_ like Gray."

"Waaaaah! Gray-sama was unfaithful!"

"Erza, stop her before she floods the place again!"

"It's lucky Gray isn't here…"

"Can we stop talking about the ice prick? It's getting on my nerves."

"A lot of things get on your nerves, Natsu."

Makarov cleared his throat loudly, silencing the murmuring mages at once. The group consisted of Natsu, Levy, Jet, Droy, and Max. Erza had gone off somewhere trying to get Juvia to calm down.

"Welcome back, master," Max greeted. "That didn't take long."

"Yeah, that was faster than Jet when it's his turn to buy groceries," Droy smirked.

"I can out run _you_ at least, you fat tub of lard," Jet retorted.

"Excuse me! I am one hundred and forty pounds of rippling _steel_!"

"Yeah. Too bad you weigh two-thirty."

"Boys, boys, clear it up," Makarov sighed exasperatedly. "Now, where's the two that need to meet with me?"

"Right here," Levy piped up from behind Natsu. Makarov leaned to his right and spotted his two guests sitting on the barstools. "Their names are Crow-kun and August-chan."

"Crow and August, huh…" The corner of Makarov's mouth twitched. "I can't say those are familiar names… Nor are you familiar faces."

"Pleased to meet you, Makarov Dreyar," Crow introduced. "And I don't expect we're familiar, seeing as we've never met. However, I know of you and was told to come here."

"You were? And your friend wasn't?" August shifted in her seat, playing with her fingers uncomfortably. Crow shook his head, giving a negative answer to the guild master.

"I met August on my way here. She wanted to come with me, so I let her." August nodded eagerly at the explanation. Makarov hummed.

"I see… So what is it you need from me, boy?"

"Permission."

"Permission?"

"Yeah. Mama said I could join Fairy Tail if I came here."

"He finally elaborates..." Max mumbled. "At least we know he can do magic. Nothing spectacular, apparently, but…"

"He'll get better when he's older, right?" Natsu asked. "It's how it works for everyone. Definitely worked for you, considering you almost gave me a match after seven years."

"Well... Yeah, I guess." Makarov ignored the peanut gallery entirely and stepped up to the stool.

"You said your mother told you to come here?" Crow nodded. "Does she know me?" Another nod. "Do I know her?" A third.

Makarov sighed inwardly. The kid didn't look familiar at all. He didn't know anyone so personally outside the guild that he'd just welcome a random six-year-old with open arms - Not without a good reason, anyway. He had enough childish antics going on around here without a _real_ child hanging around. And what of the girl? He was hoping she didn't want to stick with him like glue and join as well. She had no apparent magic aura around her, and giving admission to a normal person wasn't allowed. They're called a _wizard_ guild for a reason.

"Ah, that's right." Crow jumped down from the stool to meet Makarov eye-to-eye. His cloak shifted ways as he searched his shirt and pants pockets for something. Eventually his hands came back with a small, crumpled envelope at arm's length. Makarov took it reluctantly, unsure of what its purpose was. Crow pointed at it. "Mama said to give that to you when I got here."

"Your mother, huh…" Makarov eyed the envelope with new interest. Was his mother not magic? There seemed not to be the normal spell enchanting it. That meant there would be no hologram to interact with or listen to. An oddity, because that was the normal way wizards contacted each other. Perhaps the boy received his magic paternally.

Nevertheless, Makarov broke the wax seal carefully and opened it up. Knowing he was too short for anyone to get a good look at the contents of the letter while standing, he didn't bother moving somewhere else to read the letter inside.

There was very little written on the paper, but it was enough for Makarov to double-check the boy's hauntingly familiar green eyes.

_To Makarov Dreyar:_

_A late welcome back from your island excursion. I hope you remember your promise to me._

_~ M.C._

* * *

There, done. A link to a pic of Crow and August will be on my profile soon.

Thanks to all of you! And I do mean all of you. I could not have completed the story without reviews from YOU following awesome people:

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